


Winged Cupid Painted Blind

by Auntie_Shara



Series: The Course of True Love [1]
Category: Ed Edd n Eddy
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 13:20:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 75,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13054800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auntie_Shara/pseuds/Auntie_Shara
Summary: A chance meeting for Eddward leads to great things, will Kevin and Edd find love? Or will they let societies norms determine how they should act and who they should love? Only time will tell. Kevedd, I do not own Ed, Edd, and Eddy. Nat belongs to C2ndy2c1d, I own my OC Angelica Johnson.





	1. If Music be the Food of Love, Play On

**Author's Note:**

> This one is set in a time before cell phones or internet (1992), there are a lot of things I want to say right now to explain the story but I will let it speak for itself, all I will say is it gives a perspective on why I relate to the KevEdd fandom, having been the dork when I was younger I relate to Edd a lot. Warnings: Language, Misogynistic Behavior, References to Drugs

It was a Saturday night in the sleepy little town of Peach creek, and as usual there was very little to do for your average fourteen year old boy. Already having defeated the latest video game that Nintendo had to offer, and the movie store had nothing to rent that they hadn’t already seen a million times, and quite frankly if Edd had to watch another zombie movie again he would scream. “What gives Sockhead, your being such a sourpuss tonight?” Eddy said lying on the floor in front of the small TV playing the video game Double D had defeated days ago.

“I don’t know, I just don’t feel like watching i was a teenage zombie hooker again.” Double D sighed as he lay on his bed looking at the ceiling, hearing the familiar sound of text going over the screen ‘what a horrible night to have a curse’ was being announced to Eddy and all the monster on the game become stronger. “There are only so many times you can laugh at that movie.”

“You gotta be shitting me Double D.” Eddy says pausing the game and then turning over to face him, Ed sitting beside him turns as well.

“The look on the man’s face-“Ed starts.

“When she bites his dick off.” Eddy finishes, and they both mimic the expression and scream. From downstairs in the kitchen right below Double D’s room they could hear his mother calling up to keep the noise down. Turning back to the TV Eddy resumes the game and continues to kill the skeletons that pat back and forth on the screen. “So what would you suggest we do then genius?”

“I don’t know but anything would be preferable to this.” Edd said turning over and opening up the latest issue of his video game magazine, looking over the new RPG that was coming out for Christmas, making a note to drop some hints to the parents.

“I know where my dad’s playboy’s are, we could look at those. Shit.” Eddy just died on the game.

“No Eddy, I don’t want to look at dirty pictures with you.” Double D continued to scroll through the article, more interested in its contents then the dirty magazines. Yes Edd is gay, he came to this realization a few years ago and has been hiding it ever since, to afraid what others would think about him or do to him not to mention the opinion his friends might have about it.

“Come on D, tit’s are awesome.” Eddy said feeling himself get excited at the prospect of looking at naked ladies in seductive positions.

“No.” Edd simply replied.

“The creek,” Ed perked up, “I got a joint we can smoke.”

“Tempting, but no I know where that leads,” He turns the page and continues reading, “It’s October and it’s too cold to go swimming.”

Eddy was getting frustrated at his friend’s lack of enthusiasm toward their suggestions, “Well D I don’t hear you coming up with any bright ideas, why don’t you help us out man.” The three of them pondered on this for a little bit in silence, the games noise coming from the TV the only sound in the room. There were no movies playing at the theater any of them would be interested in, only romantic comedies and kids movies had been released at the moment. The teenage weekend ritual of cruising was out of the question, seeing how none of them had a license and Lee being the only person they knew who had one was out on the town with her friends already.

“I know, I know,” Ed says bouncing up and down from where he sat cross legged on the floor. “May told me there’s an all night skate tonight.” Not seeing any enthusiasm from his friends Ed continues. “Come on guys it could be fun, there’ll be girls Eddy.”

Eddy cock’s a brow at this statement and pauses the game again, the idea of girls locked in the same building as him all night had perked his interests. One of them had to be willing to get to know him better, maybe sneak off to a corner for a handy, the options were limitless. “Ed you’re a genius,” He sits up on his knees and shakes his friend by the shoulders, turning to Double D, “D see if your mother can give us a ride, there’s some dames that need tamed.”

“I don’t know Eddy.” Being the dork that most kids picked on Edd didn’t fancy the idea of being locked in that building with people who might make it their mission to ensure his night was a miserable one. “Maybe we could just play some board games or something.”

“I’m not playing D&D with you again, that shit was so boring.” Eddy started saving his game and then turned the system off. “Come on D, you might finally get you some from Marie and lose that V card.” The mere mention of that name sent a shiver down Double D’s spine, sure he could tell that Marie was an attractive young lady but she was just missing certain anatomical parts that would pique his interest. The few times he has talked to her, and not been accosted by her, he could tell she was a very intelligent woman and they could be great friends if she could get over her obsession with him. While contemplating his situation with Marie both his friends were on their knees, hands clasped, shuffling toward him begging. “Come on D, do this for us,” Eddy said and they both spoke in unison, “Please,” giving their best puppy dog eyes to him.

Exasperated with his friends determination on this subject Double D gets off his bed and heads toward the door of his room throwing his hands up in the air in defeat, “Fine, but no trying to hook me up, are we clear.” Both of his friends smiled and nodded their heads at him enthusiastically. They all quickly went to their houses to get the money for the skating rink from their parents, meeting back up at Double D’s house they all load up into his mother’s car and headed across town. Entering the building D’s mother paid for his entry and asked the cashier a few questions about when they would be let out in the morning and safety issues. Saying goodbye to his mother, and going red in the cheeks from embarrassment when she kissed him on the cheek, Edd turns around and gets his pair of skates from the counter. Walking over to a bench he sits and takes off his shoes, silently praying that this establishment used plenty of antifungal on the insides of these skates, dreading the idea of catching something from wearing these rentals. After a few quick breathes and an internal talk to himself about how silly it was to be afraid to wear the skates, he puts them on his feet and stands, gliding over to the nearest locker he deposits his shoes inside dropping a quarter in and turning the key. Having a small argument with Eddy ,while he did this, about sharing the locker so Eddy could save some money, Double D didn’t want his friends shoes in the same locker as his own, he loved Ed to death but honestly his hygiene was sorely lacking, but being tactful he only stated that he didn’t want to have to track them down for the key if he needed into the locker.

Looking around to gage who was here and who to avoid, Edd was pleasantly surprised to see that none of his normal bullies where here tonight, he let out a small sigh of relief and rolled his way to the rink. Stepping onto the floor he pushed off and began to glide around the polished tile floor, the music was pretty good and he bobbed his head to the beat, a lot of eighty’s and modern music that the three friends enjoyed. Total Eclipse of the Heart to Salt-N-Pepa’s Push it were just some of the high lights of the songs played that night, Ed and May rolled around the rink hand in hand while Eddy tried to sweet talk some girls in the corner only receiving a slap to the face and a bruised ego. An hour into the evening the DJ called for everyone to line up in the center of the rink to do the Hokey Pokey, most of the kids started lining up as instructed a few left the rink to sit out the song Double D was one of those trying to avoid embarrassment as well. As Double D was trying to leave, Edd, Eddy and May all three drug him to the line as he protested, with Eddy on one side and Ed on the other side of him keeping him from escaping he was now stuck there to perform this little ritual. On the other side of the rink from him a familiar face rolls into position and stops skillfully taking his place in the line of teenagers and kids, looking to the right and left of him, Kevin made sure he was at a decent distance from the people next to him. Feeling eyes upon him he looks up and catches Edd’s eyes, Edd quickly looks away hoping that Kevin wouldn’t catch on to his reasons for staring.

Everyone in place the music starts up and they all started following the instructions of the silly song, though Edd was a decent skater he did have issues with certain things, like a sharp 180 degree turn. So when the song came to the part of you turn yourself around he was quickly on his ass in the middle of the rink, “Oww,” was all that came out of his mouth as a mild sting shot up his spine to let his brain know you hit something. Slightly embarrassed and struggling to get back on his feet, his cheeks were flushed red as a hand was extended and a familiar voice was heard. “Need some help dork?”

Looking up Edd see Kevin standing above him, hand out offering assistance and a smirk on his face, like he was trying to contain his laughter from watching Edd struggle to get on his feet. Not wanting to be rude Edd takes Kevin’s hand, “Thank you Kevin for the assistance, it is very much appreciated,” and with Kevin’s help makes it to his feet.

Helping Edd keep his balance by holding onto his arm Kevin starts to guide him off the floor, “Maybe you should sit this one out, we wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.” Reaching the carpeted area of the building, Edd takes hold of the barrier and steps off the rink to sit down. Seeing Edd safely seated Kevin smirks yet again, “I’ll catch ya later dork,” winks and pushes off to return to the rest of the people in the middle of the rink.

After the song was over Edd watched as Kevin glided off the floor and to the food counter, he was brought back into reality by Eddy, “Nice landing Sockhead.” Eddy, Ed and May were all leaning over the barrier that separated were he sat from the rink.

“I did try and tell you that I couldn’t do that dance Eddy.” Double D responded crossing his arms and leaning back on the bench.

“Don’t worry about it Double D, it took me forever to be good at skating.” May said as she leaned into Ed’s arm, the big guy looked nervous but happy.

“I see shovelchin was quick to save ya, did prince charming take good care of our DD.” Eddy teased his friend.

“How very mature Eddy.” Double D admonished him, “I think I’m going to get something to drink, if you’ll excuse me.” He stands and rolls his way toward the food stand.

“Geez touchy.” Eddy called after him as he left.

As he reached the food court Shout by Tears for Fears was playing over the speakers and Kevin was nowhere to be found, feeling stupid for actually chasing after someone who was probably not interested in him the same way he was attracted to them he wheels himself to the counter. Ordering a Dr. Pepper and nachos with extra cheese, he heads back to where his friends where, finding May and Ed lip locked on the bench. Not wanting to be a third wheel he heads off to find himself a place to eat that wouldn’t disturb anyone who was playing the courting game, finding a table off in the corner he sits and begins to enjoy his snack. Watching the endless procession of kids skating in a circle on the floor hoping to spot a glimpse of the red head who had captured his interest that night with his kind act and none judgmental attitude toward the situation. Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order started to play, “Hey,” Edd was startled and dropped some cheese on his shirt but didn’t notice for he was looking up into green eyes. Pointing to the spot the cheese had landed, “You got some..” Edd looked down and for the third time that night he was embarrassed, making his cheeks flush red again. Quickly grabbing a napkin he wipes the cheese off his shirt hoping it wouldn’t be to noticeable, “Do you mind if I join you?” Kevin says as he sits down on the chair across from him.

“S-sure,” Edd said nervously, he quickly picks up his drink and takes a few sips of the liquid to calm his nerves, as the jock sat across from him his heart began to pound against his rib cage. Why would Kevin want to talk to him? The boy was certainly the most popular person here and could be talking to anyone he chose, but he was choosing to talk to Edd and it made his head light and spinning with the possibilities, being realistic about it Edd knew that it was more than likely just a friendly conversation and nothing more. But Edd being the only gay kid he knew about in their school, couldn’t help but hope just a little that there was some meaning behind this kindness that Kevin has never shown him before. As the jock sat there across from him, looking into his eyes with those piercing greens of his, Edd could feel his palms sweating and with two words, “What’s up,” a conversation would start that would lead Edd to learn that you can’t judge a book by its cover, and to one of his biggest heart breaks of his young life.


	2. Speak Low if You Speak Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For, after all, you do grow up, you do outgrow your ideals, which turn to dust and ashes, which are shattered into fragments; and if you have no other life, you just have to build one up out of these fragments. ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, White Nights and Other Stories.

There he was, Kevin Barr, sitting across from Edd with that sexy smirk playing across his face, his green eyes drilling holes into Edd’s very soul. Kevin was several years older than Edd, seventeen and a senior at peach creek high, but everyone knew him, he was the most popular kid in their school and the star pitcher for their baseball team. Every guy wanted to be him and every girl wanted to be with him, this man exuded confidence with every step and every word. And here he was sitting across from Edd and actually wanting to talk to him, no cronies around to impress no malicious words being slung at the dork that Edd obviously was. Edd swallows the lump in his throat by taking another drink of his soda, “N-nothing much Kevin, just sitting here enjoying this very unhealthy but ultimately tasty snack which unfortunately is one of only a few things this establishment sales. There for I am stuck with very few options of things to ….”

“Wooo man anyone ever tell you that you talk a lot.” Kevin cracks a smile as to say he didn’t mean it in a malicious way.

“I’m sorry I ramble when I get nervous.” Edd looks down at the half eaten tray of nacho’s, debating on whether he should just continue to stuff his face with the cheesy treat to abate his mouth from speaking anymore.

“Ah, do I make you nervous?” Looking up Edd could see that Kevin’s expression was still kind and playful, no signs of wickedness in it.

“Maybe just a little.” Edd said sheepishly, picking up a nacho and shoving it in his mouth.

Kevin snags a nacho from the tray, “Don’t be man, chill and be yourself.” Then eats it, sitting on the table and propping his feet upon the bench Kevin looks out over the rink, I Ran by A Flock of Seagulls started to play, “Tell me man what do you see when you look out there.”  
Edd doesn’t even look up at the rink, he knew his reply but decided to give a generic one instead. “I see children of various ages skating repetitiously around an oval shape, to modern and 80’s music.”

“Come on man I know you can do better than that.” Kevin looks over his shoulder at Edd to see him looking down at his nachos. “I’ll tell you what I see, the eternal struggle to assert dominance over each other and secure a mate. I see rams butting heads and wolves pissing on trees, the peacock spreading its tail feathers.”

Edd was a little surprised by this analogy, he never thought of Kevin Barr as a deep thinker, but it’s not like he really knew the man. Being in different grades and social levels did put quit a distance between them. “But where would we be without such displays?”

“Extinct.” Kevin says plainly, “But that doesn’t mean I have to like the teenage power struggle. The more I think about it lately the more I find distaste in it.” Kevin sits back down on the bench and faces Edd again. “Let’s take you for example, one would think that with the way the world is today with all its technological advances that intelligent people would be prime matting material, but no we are still stuck on the appearance and standing of people, the plumage sort of speak.” He pauses for a second at the look of disdain Edd was giving him, “Not that I am saying you’re not an attractive guy, but let’s be honest you’re not alpha male material either.”

Edd took all that in for a second and had to agree with him on that point, “True I don’t have the muscular physic or social standing that would secure me a person that most would desire.” And as if on cue the next song is U2’s Desire and Edd continues. “But who’s to say that I want someone who is all appearance and no substance, I might want someone that can hold a decent conversation.”

Kevin smirked at this, pleased with the dorks answer but still had to tease him just a little. “So you would be happy with all brains and no looks?”

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Kevin, what you might find repulsive another might find enchanting.” Edd was not really pleased with Kevin’s response, “And to imply that only one way of looking at things is the correct way is asinine. Take Myrtle over there,” Edd points to a heavy set young lady rolling on by on the rink that was in his science class, “she might not be your type, but Tommy,” Edd points over to an athletic young man who was slowly rolling behind Myrtle, “thinks she is gorgeous and has for quite sometime, if only he could work the nerve up to ask her out. And you know what,” Edd looks at Kevin and Kevin at him, “the sad thing is that I am sure his nerves have nothing to do with her and everything to do with how others would react to him dating her.”

“The course of true love never did run smoothly.” Kevin said with a little sadness in his eyes, whether it was for Myrtle and Tommy, Edd couldn’t tell but just assumed it was.

“That’s lovely, sad but lovely.” Yet again Kevin had surprised Edd with the way he expressed himself.

“It’s Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Kevin looked a little shy at this, like he had exposed himself more than he expected he would with Edd, but shook it off quickly like he had made a choice not to care.

“Sorry for being hypocritical by saying so, but I never expected a jock to be into Shakespeare.” The music changes and now Suddenly Last Summer by The Motels is playing

“Don’t worry about it, I get it all the time, maybe not said to me but rather the looks I get when I speak my mind speak volumes. So I tend to not do so.” Kevin looked a little sullen by admitting his own hypocrisy at trying to fit into a social niche.

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.” Edd was trying to make him feel a little better but encourage him at the same time.

“Dr. Seuss?” Kevin said cocking a brow at Edd.

“Yes he did say it, but I think it was originally coined by Bernard M. Baruch.” Edd was really starting to enjoy this conversation, the jock was really making him feel at ease with himself, surprisingly he didn’t feel like he had to dumb down the conversation like he would with the other Ed’s or his classmates. Having figured out a while back that most people didn’t enjoy a smart person talking like a smart person, something about it made them feel dumb so instead of learning from the smart person they would shun them. There was Edd’s way of trying to fit in socially, by not talking smart all the time, just like Ed had started talking normally as well, and Eddy had stopped doing scams, as you grow up you figure out the things you do that people don’t enjoy and you adapt to fit in, because no one like to be the outcast.

They sit in silence for a few minutes watching the kids on the rink, the DJ came over the speakers and called for the rink to be cleared for a couples skate song, and Edd looks up and sees Eddy by the entrance asking a girl if she wanted to join him for the skate having his ego bruised once again as she laughs in his face and then over to Ed and May who were rolling around the rink hand in hand. The song that starts up a moment later is By My Side from INXS. “So, not going out there with your lady?” Kevin said pointing to the rink.

“I can assure you this is one that I will not be participating in.” Edd said filling a small sting in his heart, knowing that even if he was here with someone that he cared about it wouldn’t be socially acceptable for him to be out there with them.

“Oh sorry, I thought that blue haired girl I see hanging all over you, Marie isn’t it, would be here.” Edd could tell that the topic was a little awkward for Kevin, like he didn’t know how to address it with Edd.

“O please, Marie and I are not dating, it’s more of an unrequited love on her part then anything.” The mere thought of dating Marie sent a shiver up his spine, the girl was over bearing now how would she act if he did date her even as a cover story for himself. 

“Sorry dude, I always assumed you two were an item.” Every time Kevin spoke it seem to Edd like a little piece of the well built wall around him was falling, and that Edd was getting to see the real Kevin. He was displaying embarrassment easily to Edd, as well as showing him his intellectual side, which Edd was pretty sure being a popular athlete Kevin didn’t show these sides of himself very often.

Reaching over and putting his hand on Kevin’s forearm, which to Edd’s surprise the touch was not rejected, “It’s quite alright, people assume a lot of things about each other, I assumed you were a brainless jock earlier and you assumed I was a desperate nerd we’re even.”

“Cool,” They both went back to watching the people on the rink roll around it endlessly. Kevin looked at him and opened his mouth but closed it like he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure if he should then decided he would. “Hey I was wondering if you wanted to get out of here.”  
Edd looked a little curious about the request, “And do what?”

“I don’t know, just walk and talk, get to know each other better.” Kevin still looked unsure as to what he was saying but at the same time trying to keep his cool, like he didn’t want the question to be weird but still wanted to hang with the dork. “I think you’re a nice guy, and I don’t think you’re enjoying yourself here so I just thought maybe a change of scenery would be nice.”

Edd considered this for just a moment then answered, “I will admit that this was my friends idea, but if you’re sure that you want to “Hang out” then yes I would be happy to accompany you Mr. Barr.”

“Cool, go get your things and let’s get the fuck out of this place.” Kevin stood and headed to his locker to get his shoes and jacket, Edd quickly followed suit, looking back over his shoulder at his friends who had as of yet to notice his absents as they were preoccupied with their own affairs for the evening. Opening his locker and grabbing his things from it, he takes off the skates and puts his shoes on, returning his rentals to the counter and heading toward the door. 

Meeting Kevin at the exit he opens the door, as they were walking through the clerk informs them. “Once you boys leave you can’t come back in.”

Kevin just turns to her and replies, “That’s cool, we don’t plan on it.” Once outside the door Kevin noticeably relaxes, the stress of keeping up social appearances off his shoulders he was now free to be who he was and not have to worry about how others would perceive him if they over heard their conversations. “So let’s go and have an adventure.” Kevin says as he puts his hand on Edd’s back and leads him away from the door and toward the road, their night had just begun and the bounds of friendship were just beginning to form between them. Edd who was in awe of this man for his social status and how easy he made looking popular seem, was finding it hard not to like him even more for the little bit he had seen of Kevin’s true self.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all are enjoying this one, and as always I enjoy back story and building the stage so please be patient when it comes to fluffy smutty things with me.


	3. Lovers Ever Run Before the Clock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now to keep the good vibes going and see where the night takes us. Warning: Language and Homophobic Language.

As they stepped away from the building and toward the main road of Peach Creek Drive, Edd felt excitement and nervousness colliding in his stomach giving him the butterfly feeling. Out of all the kids in the roller rink to hang out with that night, why was Kevin so interested in him, could there be some cruel joke waiting for him down the road, and like Carrie, be left to rage against his stupidity at hoping that someone popular liked him. The main strip of road that is Peach Creek Drive is where you find all the fast food restaurants in this small town, it is also where the teenagers go to do their cruising. It is a twelve block strip where the teens start at McDonalds and drive down to the other end and turn around at Hardees and then make the trip back down to McDonalds. Stopping along the way to park and socialize with their friends in strip mall parking lots or at another fast food joint until they are run off by the owners for causing too much trouble or harassing customers.

As they walked down the road making their way toward McDonalds they continued their conversation, discussing music tastes, both pleased to see that the other enjoyed more than the main stream music that was blaring out of radios as other teens drove by. “It’s all about my mood,” Kevin said as he walked confidently down the road, looking over to see Edd cringe a little as a car drove by and a teenage boy was hanging out the window screaming his excitement at them. “If I want to relax and think, it’s classical there are no distractions with it, it’s just me and the music, and if I want a mellow vibe then I go with blues, upbeat energy then it’s definitely jazz.”

“Yes, those are all wonderful choices in musical taste,” Edd stopped as a beer can was thrown in front of them and Kevin yelled some obscenities at the vehicle, after a moment they continued walking and Edd started again. “As I was saying they are all wonderful choices, but they are interchangeable, take the 1812 overture for example.” 

“Beautiful piece by the way.” Kevin interrupts but quickly motions for Edd to continue.

“Yes it is,” As Edd spoke he motioned with his hands, being a visual talker when he gets excited about a topic.”But it starts off calm and tranquil but then turns chaotic and fast paced, like the ebb and flow of a battle. So the piece could be viewed as a transitional piece so you can go from relaxing to upbeat energy.”

“Precisely, they are all interchangeable,” Kevin said clapping Edd on the shoulder like he was congratulating him on a good job, “I was just giving an in general statement about the genres”

“I’m sorry,” Edd’s expression became crestfallen, “I wasn’t meaning to come off as a know it all.”

Taking the hand off his shoulder and wrapping it around to the other shoulder Kevin gives Edd a side hug, “It’s alright man, you were just expressing yourself, don’t ever be sorry for that.” Releasing Edd they continued to walk down the side of the road, “So what are your plans for college? I bet you have it all figured out.”

“I’m only fourteen Kevin, I have time to figure it out.” Edd looks up at Kevin but looks away quickly when he sees the boy’s expression change.

“Fourteen, damn you look older than that.” Kevin tried to play off his shock a little.

Edd let out a little nervous laugh then replied, “And how old, pray tell, do I look?” 

Kevin scrunched up his face as he thought about his answer, “Well going off appearance I would guess around my age. But seeing how I know what grade you’re in, and that you’re smart as fuck I already knew you were younger, I’m just saying you look older.”

“Well I’ll take it as a complement then,” Edd gave a weak smile then continued, “So how about you, you’re graduating this year have you chosen your carrier path in life?”

“No not really,” Kevin sighs, “Like you I always thought I had more time to figure this stuff out. But before I knew it time had slipped through my fingers.” He kicks a rock on the side of the road, “So now here I am on the edge of the abyss and no fucking clue what I’m going to do.”

“Yeah, I think I understand in more ways than you think, I sometimes wonder if I’ll be able to complete school with the way things are there sometime.” They reached the McDonalds and Edd could smell the food inside, his stomach growls.

“Hungry are we?” Kevin says teasingly, Edd nods, “Come on, I’ll get you something to eat.” They enter the building and stand in line, Kevin ordered them both a Big Mac combo meal and paid the cashier. They waited in silence for their order to be called, Edd looking around and seeing a few other teens seated in the dining area. Fears of what the other teens might say to Kevin about being around him, and thus making the red head rethink his companionship of him, ran wild through Edd’s head as they waited. Picking up the tray Kevin nudges his elbow against Edd’s arm to get his attention, and then led the boy to a both in the corner of the restaurant. Sitting he places Edd’s meal in front of him and unwraps his own, before taking a bit he asks, “So what do you mean you don’t think you’ll finish school? Are bullies bothering you?”

Edd nods as he chews, then swallows and takes a drink of his soda, “Yes, sometimes they can make it quite unbearable for me. Then I begin to pounder just dropping out and getting my GED, then going from there.”

“To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Kevin said dramatically with one hand in the air and the other on his chest, eliciting a giggle from Edd.

Edd picks up some fries and points them at Kevin, “Shakespeare again, I’m beginning to think you like his works,” then eats them.

“Yes I do,” Kevin blushed a little with a smile on his face, “But what Hamlet is saying in that quote is whether he should continue and suffer through his misfortune or should he give up.”

“As I recall it was more like should he live or die.” Edd corrected then took another drink of his soda.

“Ok so yeah I was trying to make it less morbid.” Kevin dips some fries in ketchup and chews them, then drinks a little soda then continues. “What I’m trying to get at is which do you think is better for you, to continue high school and get scholarships, because I know your smart enough. Yes you’ll suffer at the hands of those assholes, but you’ll show them in the end. Or are you going to take the easy road and quit and then be stuck working a minimum wage job and probably never getting to go to college.”

Edd pondered these words for a moment, “I never considered that.” He whispered and it was barely audible.

“I know sometimes it’s hard to see when the path we walk will become easier,” Kevin places a hand upon Edd’s, “But I think you should stay the course and finish school.” Edd, though enjoying the intimacy of the touch, retracted his hand quickly and placed it in his lap, looking around to see if anyone had spotted the exchange. Kevin retracted his hand slowly admonishing himself for making the boy uncomfortable.

A blush creeping across his cheeks, Edd spoke softly while rubbing the hand under the table that Kevin had touched. “Thank you, I’ll take your advice into consideration.” The rest of the meal was spent with lighter topics about books they enjoyed or movies they looked forward to or past favorites.

Finishing up they deposited their trash in the bin and laid the tray on top, walking out the door and back into the chilly night air they heard a familiar voice, “Hey, Kevin.” Both boys knowing the owner of that voice, turn their heads in the direction it was coming from, Edd cringed as the identity of the person was confirmed. Standing by the open front driver side door of her parents minivan stood Lee waving Kevin over to her, inside the vehicle were several other girls all looking excited to see the jock except one bluenette who only had eyes for Edd.

Kevin motioned with his shoulder for Edd to follow him, as his hands were in his jacket pocket to keep them warm. At a quick pace and confident stride, Kevin made his way over to the van where Lee stood. “What’s up ladies?” Kevin said smoothly with an air of confidence to his voice.

Out of the back window that was popped open slightly Edd heard, “Hi Edd.” Catching Marie’s eyes he sees her waving, she had recently been trying new tactics to win Edd over, this week it was passive aggressive. 

Being the polite gentlemen his mother taught him to be Edd walks over to the window, “Hey Marie, what are you all up to?”

Lee addressed Kevin, “So me and the girls were wondering if you might want to hang out.” The curly redhead smiled broadly looking anxious and nervous to be talking to Kevin.

The girl in the passenger side spoke her agreement, “Yeah Kevin come on, hang with us.”

Marie was a little confused, “So when did you start hanging with Kevin Barr?”

“Oh we just kind of ran into each other.” Edd responded, not wanting to continue this conversation knowing full well where it was going to lead with her.

“So we got some pot and beer, and were thinking about going down to Tammy’s house.” Lee points to the girl sitting next to Marie, and notices Edd at that moment and her lips form into a scowl. She turns back to Kevin and places a smile back on her face, “Her parents are out of town and we got the place all to ourselves, whatcha say? Want to have a party?”

Marie hears the interaction between her sister and Kevin, “Hey Edd you should come, it could be lots of fun.”

Lee hears her sister invite Edd and calls over to her, “No Marie, we only have room for one more in the van.”

Edd’s face was displaying a feeling of hurt that he was trying desperately not to show, but not for the reasons Lee or Marie would think. He was hurt because he was sure Kevin wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to have a good time, especially with a van full of girls that all seemed to want to jump his bones. Kevin eyes the van’s interior and plainly sees that there was plenty of room for both him and Edd to fit and still be able to squeeze in at least two more people, maybe not legally seat them but you still could get them in there. Additionally seeing the hurt on the dorks face Kevin holds up his hands and speaks, “I’m sorry ladies, but I’m going to have to pass.”

“Come on Kevin, it’s going to be a blast.” Lee tries to wrap her arms around Kevin’s neck to display her interests in him sexually but Kevin just ducks out of her reach and walks over to Edd.

“You should really reconsider your invitation, we’re a package deal.” Kevin puts his arm around Edd’s shoulder and grips him tightly for emphasis.

“Really Kevin, he’s just a fucking dork.” Looking out the corner of her eye she sees that the other girls in the van were not happy that she was blowing this for them. 

Scoffing then looking at Edd then at her again, “Well you see this fucking dork is a better person then you or any of your bitch friends will ever be.” He turns and walks away, “Come on Edd we don’t need them.” Edd waves goodbye to Marie, always the polite one our little Eddward, and follows after the fuming Kevin. Catching up to the jock he hears him muttering a few profanities under his breath, at first Edd was concerned that Kevin was regretting being around him seeing how he just cost him a fun night at a party. Kevin stops in his tracks and rounds on him and Edd nearly jumps out of his skin, but it wasn’t to strike him or curse him, he grabs Edd’s arms and looks him in the eye. “Don’t you ever listen to a word people like that say, you’re a kind and smart person, and they will eventually figure it out that you’re the better catch then some muscle bound brain dead jock.” Edd just gazes into those green orbs that look like they are filled with pain over what Lee had said.

Before Edd could say anything in reply the minivan speeds out of the McDonalds parking lot and rushes past them as Lee’s voice comes yelling at them, “FUCKING FAGGOTS!”

Kevin releases Edd and spins around, flipping them off and yelling back, “BITCH.” Turning back to Edd he gives him a small smirk as an apology for his foul language, he puts his left arm around Edd’s shoulder and leads them on down the road. “Don’t worry, there are a million other people out in this world that will love and accept you for who you are.” He points at Edd’s chest as he spoke the last part, then turning back to the world or neon lights and passing cars, “We just have to find one of them tonight.” Edd’s heart swelled at this, Kevin had been so kind to him so far tonight, sticking up for him, comforting him, and most of all talking to him like he was an equal. None of these things did he have to do, but here he was doing them and not expecting anything in return but good company. Though it had only been a short time, Edd was concerned that Cupid was pulling an arrow from his quiver and readying to take aim, he could only hope that the damn cherub would shot twice.


	4. Cupid is a Knavish Lad, Thus to Make Men Mad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to try and round out the night in this chapter, hopefully, If not this one then the next one, just depends if I can get there or not. Nat belongs to C2ndy2c1d Warnings: Language, descriptions of drug use

They walked down the strip, Kevin was silent at first contemplating what he could do to cheer up the dork. What Lee had done had obviously rattled Edd, whether it was her dismissal of him, or the names she had called him, Kevin wasn't sure. But he was sure the boy didn't deserve such treatment, he was a person just like everyone else and deserved to be treated as such. "You know, you shouldn't let them bother you this much." 

"I know, I just feel bad that I made you miss the party." Edd said trying to apologize to the jock.

Kevin put a reassuring smile on his face, "don't worry about it," clapping the boy on the back, "it would have just been another mind numbing experience of teenagers trying to act grown up."

"If you say so," Edd tried to place a smile on his face, "It probably would have still been fun though." Even if he would have been accosted by Marie all night, the thought of a being invited to a party, even though fleeting, had excited him.

"There are plenty of fun things for us to do," Kevin motions with his right hand as though he was presenting the work to him, "We just have to go out there and find it." Continuing down the road, Kevin regaled Edd with a tale of one of his friends drunken attempts to get laid, "So there I am smoking a joint in the living room, and here comes Amber running in screaming 'he pissed on me'." Mocking the expression on her face, he gets Edd to laugh a little. "There's the face I've been looking for," He looks Edd in the eye and smiles broadly, "See that wasn't so hard."

Trying to control his laughter Edd spoke between giggles, "That poor guy has probably never lived it down."

"Nope, we still tease him about it, but he just rolls with the punches," Nudging Edd in the shoulder with his own, "which is what you need to do more, let that sass out, show them they can't get to you."Before Edd could give his response, they both heard someone yelling in their direction from the parking lot to their left. Looking in the direction the call was coming from, they see a teal hair boy hanging out his car window waving his arm at them. Kevin motions for Edd to follow him, as they approached the boy pulled himself out of the driver’s seat to perch himself on the window seal. "Hey Nat what's up?" Kevin says as he bumps fists with the boy.

"Hey man what you doing walking around the strip?" Nat said motioning with his head to the road, "Thought you were going skating tonight.”

"Yeah, it wasn't as fun as I thought it would be." Kevin says plainly, falling back into his popular persona. 

"Who's your friend?" Nat said looking around Kevin to Edd.

"Oh, that's Edd, he's cool." Kevin stepped to the side so Nat could get a better look at him.

"Oh yeah I know you," Nat pointed at him shacking his forefinger a few times, "Your that band geek." Nat turned back to Kevin, "You and your charity cases."

Was that all Edd was to Kevin, a charity case? Or was he just a good deed to make Kevin feel better about himself, or atonement for his sins of bullying people in his past. "Stop it Nat, you're going to make him feel bad," turning to Edd, "Don't listen to him." Kevin's expression was apologetic, but then a smirk danced across his lip, "By the way Edd, Nat here is the guy I've been telling you about." He leaned in and whispered 'he pissed on me' in Edd’s ear, Edd covered his mouth to hide his smile.

Nat knew deep down what Kevin had told him, "Only good things I hope."

"Nothing but." Edd responded hiding his smile again behind his hand.

A smile crossed Nat's face, glad the boy was going to show some tact and not bring it up. "If Kevin says your cool that's good enough for me." Nat drops back into the car and motions for them "Get in boys." Both Edd and Kevin simultaneously say shotgun, "I don't care who the fuck rides in the front, just get the hell in the car." Edd takes the back seat allowing Kevin to have the front. "Where to boy's, the night is young and there is booty that needs claimed." Nat let out a small howl at the end if his statement as he started the engine.

Laughing at his friend’s antics Kevin just points to the road, "I don't care man, just drive." Nat puts the vehicle in reverse and leaves the parking spot, exiting the lot they turned on to Peach Creek Dr. and began to lap the strip. Joined by his friend and his companion Nat's excitement for the evening had gone through the roof, anything was possible for the three teens, and Nat hung his head out the window and howled at the moon quickly joined by Kevin. Edd just sat back and laughed at their antics, happy to be included in something new and exciting, who knew what might come of this night. They made a few laps along with a few stops to flirt with girls or talk with friends, Kevin always keeping Edd by his side so the boy wouldn’t feel like an outcast from the group, introducing him to the people he knew who would give him the polite what’s up and then turn back to the conversation. Each group had their own thing going, from having a few beers they shared usually in a forty ounce bottle. Boy’s n the Hood having just released last year meant all the little country boys were now trying to be gangsta, which to them meant baggy clothes, smoking pot and forty ounce of St. Ides. Edd could not help but laugh internally at these kids, for what did they know about it really other then what Hollywood manufactured for them or what they saw on MTV. But hey if they were offering to smoke some pot with him, who was he to refuse right, it would be rude not to even if some of it was dirt weed.

The night quickly started to wind down, hitting past midnight, the strip started to die down from where most of the teens had to return their parents cars or suffer their wrath. After taking a final lap and not seeing anyone left worth talking to, Nat drove the car out toward the country. Once outside the borders of the town Nat reaches into his pocket and pulled out a cellophane wrapper containing a small amount of pot, “Been saving this little bit just for us.” He waved it back and forth for emphasis.

“Got any papers,” Kevin asked and Nat pointed to the glove box, pulling out the owner’s manual as well he hands them all to Edd, “You role it, Nat pull over I got to piss.” Nat complied and Kevin exits the car while Edd hurried with his task of rolling the joint for them. Peaking upward to see Kevin standing in front of the car a few steps away facing away from them, the head lights being the only illumination on the dark country road and the reason he walked in front of the car. 

Nat looked in the rear view mirror and spoke, “I know he’s a very likeable guy, just don’t get your hopes up.”

Edd was a little confused, did Nat catch him looking at Kevin, or did his words have a different meaning, “I don’t quite follow you.”

Nat looked out the driver’s side window into the darkness of the woods around them, “I’m just saying he’s a very popular guy, don’t think that just because you hang out tonight that you’re best friends now.” He turns to face Edd so the boy could hopefully see the seriousness of his face, “I mean his time is taken up by a lot of people and things he does, I just don’t want you getting your hopes up and get hurt, ok.” 

Edd nods, if he was being honest with himself he had been waiting for the shoe to drop and get ditched by the jock, best to get confirmation now then later that a small part of him had been right and that this was just a onetime deal for the jock. Kevin opens the door and gets into the car, “You got that rolled yet?” Edd shook his head to signal he hadn’t, not speaking afraid that his disappointment at what Nat had told him would be heard, thanking the gods that the night was so dark and his face couldn’t be seen. Edd was telling himself this feeling in his gut was just regret at loosing someone who would have been a great friend, but if what Nat said was true did they really even have a chance to even be friends. They continued to drive around the countryside for an hour more, the conversation mainly being between the two upfront, Kevin trying a few times to include Edd in the conversation but only getting meek response and when he asked the dork if he was alright Edd would just blame the pot for his introverted behavior.

Around two thirty at night Nat had to call it an evening, having to help his parents the next day with some manual labor, he drops the two of them off at the skating rink and says his farewells. The boys not being allowed back into the building decided to take a walk on the golf course nearby, finding a tree that was sitting in a small row of trees they park themselves underneath it. Looking up at the night sky with its clouds rolling swiftly by Edd could see a few stars shining through the gaps in the clouds. Turning so his feet were facing the trunk of the tree he lays down upon the grass to look straight up at the sky, Kevin quickly follows lying down beside him. “Do you ever wonder how big it all is?”

“Everyday,” Edd said taking in the beauty of the contrast of the fluffy clouds against the black of the night sky with its diamond like points of light scattered across the tapestry, “Compared to the magnitude of the universe, this planet would be but a grain of sand on a beach.”

“If that really, we might be the atom within the grain of sand,” Kevin replied, spotting the moon that was sinking in the west, “With how big the universe is, there has to be other life forms out there.”

“But of course there is, whether it’s a micro on some rock somewhere, or a thriving ecosystem, or little green men.” Edd thinks for a minute about these possibilities, “I fear for us though if aliens ever land here.”

“Why’s that?” Kevin looked at the boy who was still looking at the stars.

Edd let out a sigh that the answer wasn’t obvious, “Because you know there will be a group of people here that will hate them for being different then they are, and who’s to say that doesn’t piss them off enough to wipe us out.”

“Well I hope we become better people before that happens.” Kevin returned to looking at the stars.

“I doubt it, we are taught to hate each other’s differences since kindergarten, maybe even sooner.” It was Edd’s turn to look at the jock, hoping the boy takes a hint and understands he meant this statement to be about more than his status at school. “It’s an endless cycle, we were taught by our parents and we will teach our kids, if we have kids.”

Kevin sits up and looks down at Edd, “I would hope that one day we could achieve acceptance though.”

Edd sits up and faces the jock propped up on one hand, “I hope you’re right, it’s a lot we have to accept about each other, and a lot of growing up we have to do as a species.” Edd shakes his head and looks away from Kevin, “I’m sorry, I get these thoughts running through my head all the time, I didn’t mean to unload it on you.”

“There is nothing wrong with being a deep thinker, without them philosophy wouldn’t exist, Plato and Aristotle wouldn’t have had a job.” Kevin smirked at Edd, “Now relax, I’m not going to judge you, I like you just the way that you are, I would have thought that you would have figured that out by now, you are the smart one.” He pokes Edd in the forehead gently at the last part of his sentence. Edd yawns and Kevin fiddles with his wrist watch setting a alarm on it, then lays down and motions for Edd to join him, “Come here, you got to be tired and cold, we’ll catch a few hours of sleep before your mom picks you up.” Edd nods and tries to lay down at a reasonable distance away from Kevin, but the jock pulls him in to lay his head on his shoulder and Kevin shifted his weight so their bodies were side by side. Seeing the confusion in Edd’s eyes, “To share body heat,” Kevin reassures him so the position wasn’t awkward to the boy.

Being well past his normal bedtime and now comfortable and enjoying the warmth and smell of the jock that had enveloped him in his arms, Edd quickly fell asleep. Waking up a few hours later to the sound of the alarm from Kevin’s wrist watch, he found that he had rolled over onto his side facing away from Kevin and that the jock had followed him, his arm tucked under Edd’s head and his other arm pulling the boy in close to him so they were spooning. Rolling over, he nudged Kevin gently to wake him up, the jock just mumbled for five more minutes of sleep, “Kevin it’s almost time, we got to go.” Kevin opens his eyes and focuses on his watch, and quickly got up and ready. Walking back to the rink to wait for their rides, Edd sees that his mother was already there, he waves farewell to Kevin and gets in the vehicle.

“You’re out early honey.” Edd was going to stammer off some excuse when a knock came to the window.

Seeing Kevin standing there Edd roles down the window, “Good morning Mrs. Vincent, how are you today?” She greeted him properly, “I just wanted to thank your son again for helping me get my car unlocked, stupid me left my keys in it.” He motioned for Edd to give him a pen by mimicking writing, Edd quickly handed him a pen and paper, Kevin scribbled down something and handed it back to him. Patting Edd on the chest he smiles and says, “Give me a call sometime,” and Kevin walks away to await his parent’s arrival. Looking at the paper he sees Kevin’s name and phone number on it, and a little piece of joy hits Edd’s heart, cupid had struck his mark that night and Edd was desperately trying to keep that emotion in check, incase what Nat had said was ultimately going to be true.


	5. Love is Begun by Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The sonnet referenced in this chapter is by John Barlas

Edd waited in the car for his friends to exit the building, looking over every now and then to where Kevin stood turning away when the jock looked in his direction, out of his peripheral vision he see a car pull up to Kevin and Edd watched as he got into the passenger side of the red 86 Chevy Cavalier. As the car drove by facing where his mother's car was parked he saw Kevin wave goodbye, Edd timidly returned the wave. A moment later both back doors of the vehicle open and both Ed and Eddy get in. "Where did you disappear to Sockhead? We were looking all over for ya." Eddy belted out in a huff.

Edd turned around in the seat, as much as the seat belt would allow, as his mother started the car "I went to help Kevin with something."

Ed was leaning his head against the window falling asleep the night with May having taken its toll on him, Eddy had his arms crossed with a scowl on his face. "Yeah, I saw you talking to shovelchin, did this thing you helped him with have to take all night?"

"I assure you Eddy that you are quite mistaken, I was in the building the whole night, up until twenty minutes ago that is." Edd's face had a look upon it that told the shorter boy to shut the fuck up.

"Whatever man." Is all the response Eddy gave, he then turned his attention away from Edd and looked out the window as they drove done the road back home. Ten minutes later they were parked in Edd's driveway and they all exited the vehicle, each of them exhausted from a long night and little sleep. Saying his farewells to his two friends Edd enters his house asking his mother to wake him in a few hours he heads to his room to take a short nap, feeling sapped of energy he hoped it would revitalize him but not throw off his sleep schedule, he lays down and it doesn’t take him long to fall fast asleep. His dreams where filled with black night skies that had a dusting of stars showing through grey night time clouds, the warm arms that held him close along with the memories of the fresh smell of his male companion filling his lungs. Kevin’s deep rough voice whispering poetry into his ear as they lay there beneath the stars, "Why do I love the silence of the moon " The words were hazy as though halfway remembered. "Better than all the roses of late June." A few more muffled verses then the end of the poem comes in clear, “And deep as thy deep eyes the dawn appears.”

Being shaken awake by his mother a few hours later he groans, wishing he was still asleep so he could relive those memories along with the fact that he felt even sleepier now than he did before. "I have brunch ready if you want to eat." She said smiling down upon her child who was wiping the sleep from his eyes, he nods his compliance and sits up in his bed. Heading down the stairs still half asleep he sits at the table and slowly begins to eat the meal his mother had prepared for him. Edd was racking his memories of last night, wondering when Kevin had spoke those words to him, or if it was just some half remember piece from a class mixing itself with the dream. Not getting a definitive answer he puts it to the back of his mind and tries not to worry about it, for what are dreams but hopes mixed with reality.

After finishing his meal and cleaning up he heads back upstairs to try and do some studying for the upcoming week, which proved a more difficult task then he originally thought. The words from his dream continually running through his head, driving him crazy that he couldn't place the poem they came from, surely if it was from a class assignment he would have remember it. Finally just giving up on his studying he bangs his head against the desk a few times in frustration, the red head and his kindness from the night before would not leave his head. Feeling silly that he is as smitten with the jock as he is, "it was only one night of hanging out as friends" He thought to himself, "You should just forget any romantic notions that have found their way into your heart, he's probably straight anyways and not interested in you in that way."

But he couldn’t throw the feeling that maybe there was more to it, why would he cuddle with him, was it really just to share body heat? That’s not a normal straight guy thing to do, regardless of the reasoning. And if Kevin was whispering poetry to him as he slept that was even more confusing to Edd, he couldn’t think of any guy that would want to whisper poetry to him at the moment, let alone while he slept. What was Kevin’s reasoning for all this if he was just looking to be friends with him? Was his end game still malicious as Edd had originally feared, did he figure out that Edd was gay and is trying to get him to confess to it so he can tell the world? But if that’s the case why all the kindness, why stick up for him and try and make him feel better when Lee said what she did. All of this going through his head had him dizzy trying to figure it out, if it wasn’t for the cuddling and the hazy memory of poetry, Edd would have been content with calling it a night out with a friend. But now he was so confused and his heart ached to see the red head again, even if it was only to confirm there was nothing more to it then friendship. At least with that knowledge he could move on quickly and forget this foolish notion of deep affection his heart was feeling toward Kevin now.

Digging into his pocket he finds the crumpled up paper that held Kevin’s number on it, tapping his fingers on the desk he weighed the options. Should he call and see how the jock reacts to him calling so soon, or should he hold off until he runs into him at school and gauge his reaction then? Would he seem too eager if he called him today, to needy, or would he look like too much of a dork? He didn’t want to push whatever this was that was forming between them, friendship that’s what he will call it until otherwise given notice that it was any different than that. Nat’s words weighed on him still as well, “I’m just saying he’s a very popular guy, don’t think that just because you hang out tonight that you’re best friends now.” 

Edd shakes his head to clear his thoughts, “I’m not asking to be his best friend, just his friend.” He was reasoning this out to himself, “I’ll just have to look at our interactions logically, and not let my desires for an intimate companion cloud my judgment or ruin this friendship.” As stated previously Edd did not know anyone else in school that was homosexual, and these past three years after realizing his sexuality have been rather lonely for him with no one to talk to about it. Even seeing Ed kiss May last night had bore a hole in his soul on how utterly alone he felt, and his despair at ever finding someone to love, not to mention that coming out was impossible at the moment for him. Everywhere he turned society told him how much of a freak he was for being gay, from when Freddy Mercury died last year from complications to HIV and a classmate of his spouted off that he died because he was a fag, to signs that he saw on the news that said AIDS is gods cure for fags. To come out now would make him a pariah in school and possibly at home as well, he told himself everyday he need to tell his parents, but then he would chicken out well before he even opened his mouth to start the conversation and then he would tell himself he would do it after he moved out. Hanging his head as these reminders flooded his mind on why it was best to steer clear of any romantic feelings for Kevin he drops the paper on his desk and decides to go watch some TV, at least until his head cleared to do his studying. After watching the rerun episode of last night Star Trek the Next Generation he feels less stressed about the situation and heads back upstairs to work on his studies and get a few hours of work done before In Living Color came on that night.

Sitting at the desk in his room he is once again confronted by the number scrawled upon a crumpled piece of paper, tossing it in the drawer he goes to work, while in the back of his mind that number kept nagging him begging for him to pick up the phone. But he trudged on, finishing his work with just a little time left before the show was going to start, opening the drawer he pulls out the little slip of paper and heads into his parent’s room to watch TV in there. Knowing his parents would be watching Murder She Wrote down stairs, he didn’t feel like watching the professional serial killer gone writer do her thing. Flipping on the TV and turning it to the appropriate channel he picks up the phone and dials the number, finally giving in to his curiosity and need to speak to the red head after all this fuss he has been making all day long. A few rings later and the phone is picked up, a female voice is heard through the receiver, “Is Kevin there?” Edd asks nervously.

Edd hears the movement of the person on the other side of the line as they walked through their home, a knock probably on a door then Kevin’s voice was heard muffled in response, a door opening the person telling Kevin he had a phone call and Kevin’s voice closer and clearer thanking his mother. “Yo.” Kevin says into the phone, what a way to greet someone who is calling you.

Edd being rather nervous calling the jock blurted out rather quickly, “Greetings Kevin, it’s Edd, you probably don’t remember giving me your number this morning, we were both half asleep and all, and I was just calling to see what you were up to, if it’s a bad time I understand and would be more than happy to call……”

Edd was interrupted by Kevin, “Slow down dork, geez, you really do ramble when you get nervous.” The show Edd was looking forward to came on with a parody of MTV’s rock the vote, he quickly gets up and turns down the volume, “So, what up?” 

“Umm,” Edd hadn’t really thought this through if he had he would have remembered a phone call meant conversation, and what the hell was he suppose to talk to Kevin about anyway. “Just sitting here watching TV, and just thought I would see what you were up to.”

“Pretty much the same really, you know small town and all.” Kevin lets out a nervous laugh, as though he had been caught off guard and at a loss for words as well. “I was hoping you would call though, wanted to make sure the little lie I told covered for you.”

Edd’s heart skipped a beat, Kevin was hoping he would call, no Edd bad Edd stop reading into things just take it at face value and nothing more. “It did, though my friend almost let the cat out of the bag.” 

“Cool,” A small pause as though Kevin was waiting for Edd to say something, but then continues to keep the conversation going. “So I was wondering if you were going to the game this weekend.”

“Of course, I am in the marching band so attendance is a part of my grade you know.” Edd said, only after trying to decide if that made him sound more like a dork then he originally had hoped.

“Oh, so I guess we can’t hang out then.” Kevin sounded a little let down at this news.

Edd sensing his change in tone quickly replied, “We can if you want, I’ll just sit on the outside of the group if you really want to ‘hang out’ that is.”

“Definitely, I look forward to it.” Kevin’s voice sounded excited again at Edd’s reassurance.

“Cool,” Edd was trying to act casual, but inside he was a mess still trying to keep his thoughts along the lines of friendship and nothing more, but the way the jock seemed to want to be around him kept the pot of his emotions stirred. And a question arose that needed answering, just so he could throw that dream in its proper place, “Kevin, I have a question.”

“Shoot.” Was the jocks quick response.

“I’ve got this line going been going through my head and I can’t seem to place it, you wouldn’t happen to know where it’s from would you?” Edd stomach was in knots, it was too late to turn back now but should he really go forward.

“I’m all ears, lay it on me.” The jocks voice was confident as though he knew he already had the answer.

Edd swallowed the lump in his throat, “Why do I love the silence of the moon. Do you know where that comes from, I can’t for the life of me remember where I have heard that but it’s been running rampant in my head all day.” The line was silent for several seconds, and fear started to well up in Edd’s stomach that maybe he had run the jock off, “Kevin are you there?”

“Yeah I’m here,” Kevin sighed into the phone, “So you heard that then, sorry man I hope I didn’t freak you out.”

“No you didn’t.” Edd said quickly, kicking himself for making Kevin feel uncomfortable by pushing the question, “I think I just subconsciously remember it, you know half asleep.”

Kevin groaned just a little and the sound of skin rubbing against skin was heard close to the phone like he rubbed his face with his hand. “Sorry about that, the whole thing of sleeping in a field under the night sky reminded me of it. And a part of me wanted to help you relax and go to sleep, the rest of me hoping you already were.”

“Please don’t feel bad that you did,” Edd was a little frantic with his words, scared he had inadvertently ruined the friendship they had just started to form, “I wasn’t trying to call you out on it, it’s just the pieces I remember of it were beautiful, I only wish I could remember the rest.”

After a few seconds of thought Kevin said in a calmer voice, “Oh do you now.” Edd hummed his acknowledgement and Kevin went into reciting the piece once more for him in a low calm voice. Once complete Edd didn’t say a word, he was trying to capture the moment in his memory as those words were spoken in that deep voice in his ear. “You there dork?” Kevin’s voice coming through the speaker snapped Edd back into reality.

“Yes, I’m sorry I was just taking it all in.” Edd said a little startled.

“So what did you think about it?” Kevin seemed eager for Edd’s opinion upon the sonnet he enjoyed.

“My memory didn’t do it justice.” Was Edd’s reply, even though he didn’t fully understand the meaning behind the sonnet, feeling it was about a place that held some meaning for the writer and a loved one.

“Cool,” Kevin said casually and a few seconds pass in silence before the jock spoke up again, “So, are we still on for the game?”

Happiness fills Edd that he hadn’t screwed this up between them, “Definitely.”

“Well I should be getting off of here, my mom just motioned that she needs the phone.” A brief pause, “So I’ll see you tomorrow Edd?” and in the background Kevin’s mother was heard saying “Goodnight Edd.”

“Maybe, depends really.” Clearing his throat Edd continues, “Have a good night Kevin.”

“You to dork.” And with that Kevin hangs the phone up, Edd looks over at the TV after setting the receiver down, not really catching the joke that Jim Carry was a suite case being beaten by a guy in a gorilla suit was suppose to be all about he turns off the TV and collapses on his parents bed. All Edd could think of at this moment was the upcoming weekend, and that deep voice reciting a sonnet. Dear lord what has the boy gotten himself into, why was it so hard for him to keep his emotions in check when it came to Kevin? He kept telling himself over and over again in his head, we are just friends nothing more stop being a creep, hoping he could make his heart believe what his head already knew.


	6. His Unkindness May Defeat my Life, But Never Taint my Love

Edd slept soundly, all things considered, he had a dreamless sleep, no stars no moon no warm arms and no sonnets whispered in his ear. He awoke the next day looking forward to school and a possible run in with his new friend. He quickly brushed his teeth, took a shower and got dressed, gathering his book bag he heads downstairs for a quick breakfast. Eggs, toast and bacon with a glass of OJ, once finished he heads out the door and down the street to the bus stop to wait in the chilly morning air. Being the first kid there he drops his book bag on the ground and sits upon it, waiting for his friends to arrive. Ten minutes later other kids began to file down the road to join him at the corner, his friends being one of the last to arrive. Regaling each other with recaps of the comic genius that was last night's show, Edd just listened and nodded his head ever once in awhile. Having missed most of the show due to his phone call with Kevin, though he was sure he had a better time.

The bus arrived a few minutes later and the children loaded up, the boys making their way to the back to sit together and not be disturbed by others. Sitting down in their seats, Eddy turns to look at his friends who were sitting behind him, "Hey lumpy, why don't you tell Edd here what you got into Saturday while he was out with prince charming."

"I got to third base." Ed said rather enthusiastically with a big old grin on his face.

"Ed you didn't," Double D said with his mouth a gap, "Where, how?"

"Bathroom stall," Eddy said a big grin etched across his lips, "The sly devil."

"Ah she was so warm and soft," Ed was looking off into the distance as though he was recalling the event.

"I'm very happy for you Ed, but can we please refrain from such lewd topics in public." Double D could feel the burn of a blush dancing upon his cheeks.

"What are we embarrassing you?" Eddy teased, "Afraid your morning wood will be seen, God forbid some hot chick sees what you're packing and does you the favor of taking your virginity." Eddy huffed and sat back down in his seat properly.

"As if the size of one's penis is all the fairer sex is after," Double D folded his arms and turned his head in a pout, "Do grow up Eddy."

Twenty five minutes later the bus arrives at the school, and the boy's disembark and head into the building. Sitting in the lunch room until the bell rang to signal the beginning of the school day. Edd kept his head down and his nose in a book trying his best not to draw attention to himself, at the best of times he could go through the day without an incident. Today would not be one of those days, feeling a slap to the back of his head that knocked his beanie askew he hears a harsh voice behind him. "Hey faggot, saw you walking with the captain the other day."

Edd sets his book aside and readjust's his hat, trying to keep his eyes on the table, "What, did you think that he’d let you taste his dick." Another boy said leaning down so his face was next to Edd's and so the boy could smell his rancid breath.

"Why don't you leave him alone, Tim." Eddy said getting to his feet, Ed following suite. Behind the two bullies another three jocks stood up to show the three dorks they were out matched. Five against three wasn't very good odds at the best of times, but you might as well say two seeing how Double D wasn't much of a fighter. The standoff had started to draw attention from the people closest to the group, all eyes eagerly awaiting the ensuing carnage.

"What're you going to do about it Skipper?" Tim had a wicked grin upon his face, daring the shorter boy to take action. When Eddy hesitated he let out a laugh, "Just what I thought nothing." Double D was still keeping his mouth shut and eyes away from the boys, knowing any action he took, verbally or physically, to defend himself would only spur them into acts of violence. The jock only saw easy prey however and grabs Edd by the back of the head and exerts force, Edd in an attempt to stop the action braces himself with his hands on the table but the jock was to strong for him and his face meets the table with a slam that echoed through the room drawing more attention from the crowd. Ed and Eddy lunge forward once they saw what was happening but the other four boys bare their path, Tim leans down to the struggling Double D and spits his venomous words in the boys ear, “Keep your cocksucker away from the captain, do I make myself clear?”

Double D’s eyes were shut fearing what would come next, some thrashing no doubt, a physical reminder of how helpless he was against these bullies and that he should stay in his place within the social order of things. But no fist made contact with Edd’s body, only a familiar voice was heard, “Hey Tim, whatcha doing?” Opening his eyes Double D saw Kevin standing mere feet away, with his hands casually in his Letterman jacket’s pockets as if he didn’t have a worry in the world, Nat right behind him with the same casual posture to him.

“Teaching this queer his place in the world.” Tim’s face had an expression of confusion on it, why did the captain care what the hell he did to this dork, he never has before. The grip Tim had on Edd’s face was loosening up but still held him firmly to the table.

Kevin looked from the hand on Edd’s face to the jock who it belonged to, “And where might that be?” Tim’s expression went from confused to downright flabbergasted, “Let him go Tim.” Kevin said in a commanding but calm voice, it took the jock a few seconds to work out that Kevin meant what he said before he removed his hand from Edd’s face and thus freeing it from the dirty cafeteria table. “Come here Tim.” The jock followed the order quickly, Kevin puts his hand on the guy’s neck digging his fingers into the his skin and starts to lead him away from the trio of friends, the other four boys follow suite quickly, Ed and Eddy go to their friend to make sure he was alright. “Tim, Tim, dim Tim, do you think I am so incapable of taking care of myself that I need your protection?”

“No captain, I-I just thought h-he needed a reminder of where he….” Tim stammered but was cut off.

Kevin’s face went from calm to showing his displeasure at the boy in his grasp, “So you thought you would hurt a friend of mine, for what, because he doesn’t measure up to your standards.”

Tim motioned in the general direction of the Ed’s, with shock on his face that Kevin had called him a friend, “But captain he’s a faggot.”

The scowl on Kevin’s face deepened and his grip tightened on the boy’s neck making Tim flinch in pain, “And if he did something that I didn’t want, do you think me powerless to stop it?”

“But your rep?” Tim looked almost desperate, as though Kevin’s standing in the school somehow reflected on his own.

“I don’t care, Tim,” Kevin said stopping and turning to face the jock he releases his grip on the boy’s neck, “I graduate this year, and I’m not going to see the vast majority of these people after that,” Looking Tim in the eyes with a serious look upon his face, “So to hell with my rep, but you touch that boy again and I’ll show you why I’m top dog around here.” Slapping Tim on the cheek a few times, “Enjoy your day, Dim.” Walking back to the Ed’s Kevin could care less that Tim was staring daggers into his back, he was of no consequence to him, but he would be damned if he would allow someone he liked to be harassed for their perceived sexuality. Coming to stand behind the trio, he sees Ed looking at Double D’s face, holding his chin with his right hand so he could angle the head and examine it for any bruises or cuts, Eddy looking on with a worried expression. “How are you doing D?”

Double D turns his head to look at the red head and opens his mouth to say something, Eddy blurts out, “We don’t need your help or your pity!” Standing in such a way as to try and block Double D from him.

Not paying Eddy any attention at all, Kevin’s eyes were examining Double D’s face to make sure no damage was done seeing how no one was telling him. “Shove off Skipper, I got the job done didn’t I and without the use of violence.” Kevin’s voice was calm and collected, Nat looked on from a distance wondering what this dork meant to his friend, Kevin gently pushes past the shortest of the trio to sit next to Edd, Eddy huffs off to return to his seat and talk to Ed and ignore the jock. “So are you going to answer me?” Kevin’s green eyes were looking intently into Edd’s ocean blues waiting for an answer, and Edd was lost in the green forests of those eyes.

Edd snaps back into reality when it hit him that he was taking too long to answer the jock, “I-I’m fine, nothing seems to be to damaged, but maybe my pride.”

Kevin touches Edd’s chin, turning the boy’s face so he could get a better look at the side that had been pressed against the table. “Everything looks alright,” Kevin released his grip on the boy’s chin, “Let me know if he bothers you again, I’ll put him in his place.”

“As kind as that offer is, you do realize now that he has lost face in front of the school he will undoubtedly double his efforts to restore his standing,” Edd looked away and fiddled with the strap on his book bag, “Which means he will try again to get his point across to me.”

“Yeah that’s the only thing that has me worried, I know assholes like him.” Kevin let out a frustrated breath through his nose and slides his thumb across his lip as he thought about his next move concerning the arrogant jock that was threatening his friend.

Meekly Edd spoke again, knowing how what he was about to say would sound to the red head, “As terrible as it may be, it might be best to just let him regain his standing, lest his rage becomes too great.”

“What are you saying D?” Kevin knew what he meant, he just needed to hear it from the boy’s own mouth.

Edd opens his mouth to speak but decides against it then changes his mind, “That maybe you shouldn’t help the next time, with each thwarted attempt his rage is only going to grow, and you can’t be there every time anyways.”

“D, I can’t do that, you’re my friend and I will not walk on by if I see someone hurting you.” Kevin said as his hand started to move toward Edd to comfort him, but seeing the dork recoil a little he changed his mind and withdrew his hand.

“I appreciate the sentiment, I really do,” The bell rings and the room jumps to life as students begin to file out into the halls to go to their lockers and then to their first class, “But I know what I’m talking about, it will only get worse for me.” Edd leaves the jock to sit there and think over what the boy had said to him, is it truly better in the long run to let Edd take the beating or should he stick up for the boy and do his best to keep him safe. Would Tim really just keep coming after him until he had gotten a hold of him and would that subsequent attack be worse than if Kevin had let him do it now? Kevin was determined to keep the boy safe from harm, but Edd’s words rang true in his ears, he couldn’t always be there. He pondered, if we truly are civilized why do we succumb to our base animal desires of the strong preying upon the weak.

“You alright man?” Nat said standing next to him, wondering why he hadn’t moved from the chair yet.

Kevin snaps out of his thoughts and looks at his teal haired friend, “I’m fine,” standing they start walking toward the lockers, “Do me a favor and keep an eye on Edd for me.”

“Does he really mean that much to you?” Nat couldn’t understand how one night of camaraderie could instill such loyalty.

“He’s a good kid, I just don’t want to see him get hurt.” He slaps Nat on the shoulder and then waves goodbye as he turns left to his first class, he knew his friend would help but he also knew it probably still wasn’t enough.


	7. And Let Slip the Dogs of War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love is a many splendored thing, there’s the love you have for your family, then the love for your best friend, and finally there’s the love for the person you want to be with for the rest of your life. Which “Love” Kevin is in, is still left to be seen. Remember this is 1992. Warnings: homophobic language and bulling

Edd was a fast and agile walker when he wanted to be, darting in and out between people, making his way as quickly as he could to his first class. Having said his farewells to his two friends at their lockers he was alone now, keeping his head down and avoiding eye contact with those around him, trying his best to keep a low profile in the hopes of making it without incident. Entering the classroom safely he breathes a sigh of relief, hopefully he could keep this up and avoid Tim’s retribution the rest of the day. Standing at the door he looks around the classroom, no teacher yet and no other students had arrived, taking a step forward to head for his seat he is grabbed by two sets of arms, dropping his books at the door, he was pulled down the hall by his arms. “We’re not done yet queer.” Tim’s voice is heard over the snickering of his two companions, being dragged backwards down the hall Edd could see the looks from the other students, who were doing nothing to dissuade the bullies, some of the looks were of pity other were of mild amusement. Edd just lay there in their grasp, knowing to fight their hold on him would be a futile action and only entice them to further acts of cruelty. Entering the closest bathroom, they pulled Edd to the handicap stall and closed the door, the two tipped him upside down and held him over the toilet.

Edd went into a mild panic, his fear of all things unclean hitting him in the gut, “Come on gentlemen let’s be reasonable.” Looking at the three of them in turn, receiving only a wicked smile and laughter in reply to his plea, his heart began to race a million miles a second, “You do realize how unsanitary this is, the things I could catch in there.”

“We’re only putting you were you belong,” Tim said with a Cheshire like grin on his face, “With the rest of the shit.” The two dunked his head into the toilet while one of them flushed it with his foot. As he was being lowered Edd took a deep breath, shut his eyes tight and closed his mouth hoping nothing would get in, his nose was the only concern he had, letting out a decent amount of air through his nose would hopefully keep the water out. Once the flush had ended they dropped him unceremoniously on the floor, Edd kept his eyes closed until all the water had drained from around them. Tim put his foot on Edd’s chest and spoke low but very cruelly, “Now keep your filthy AIDS infested hands way from our captain,” Pushing against Edd’s chest with his foot as stood back up, “Don’t make me repeat myself queer.” The bell rings signaling that Edd was now tardy for class, his three assailants leaving through the door laughing to one another at the pitiful state they left Edd in.

Edd did his best to dab the water from his eyes using the sleeves of his shirt, once able to see again he rushes over to the sink to wash his face and hair of the filthy water he had been submerged in as best he could. His beanie on the other hand was still floating in the toilet, taking all the will power he could muster he retrieves it, he wrings it out over the toilet then rinses it in the sink, washing his hands again before wrapping his beanie in paper towels he then he heads out of the restroom. The halls were strangely quiet with all the students in their classrooms, he walks down the hall past his classroom and toward the office. Opening the door he enters staring at the floor, the familiar voice of his guidance councilor greets him, “Edd what are you going here, aren’t you suppose to be in class?” Seeing his soaked hair and shirt her voice turns from chastising him to concern, “What happened Edd?”

Meekly looking up he meets her brown eyes, she wore a grey pencil skirt white long sleeve dress shirt with a cameo brooch at the collar her sandy blonde hair done up in a bun “Just the usual Ms. Johnson.” Edd half heartedly smiled at her as he walked to the counter, “Swirly,” he added.

She motions for him to follow her and they head down the hall of the office where she looks in a closet for a towel and a shirt to replace his soaked one, then out the back door to the closest janitor’s closet. Leaving the door open she motions to the sink, “Lean your head over it,” she said softly and began thoroughly rinses out his hair. Sighing she address him, “Don’t let them get to you Edd, I know it’s hard when they seem to be gunning for you, what’s this make the sixth time you’ve been in because of bullying?”

“The eighth,” Edd corrected her as the water came to a stop and she handed him a towel to dry his hair.

“Is there anything we can do to make it better for you?” She put her hand on his shoulder, he paused the motion of his hands and looked at her from under the towel.

Thinking for a moment he replied, “Not that I can think of,” then continued to dry his hair.

Finished with his hair Edd hands her the towel and she hands him the shirt, it was pink, unfolding it he saw that on the front there was a unicorn Pegasus running along a glittery rainbow. He looks up at her with an expression that told her that this shirt will only make things worse, “I’m sorry Edd, it’s the last one we have.” Hanging his head in defeat she suggests, “How about wearing it inside out.” Stepping out and pulling the door closed she allows him to change in privacy, once done Edd steps out of the closet defeated, the horse could still be seen through the fabric of the shirt. “You could wear it backwards and put your jacket on,” Ms. Johnson suggested, Edd hung his head and allowed her to guide him back to the office. They put his wet things into a plastic bag and tied it shut, handing him a hall pass, “Put those in your locker grab your jacket then straight to class.”

Edd nods, “Thank you Ms. Johnson.” And he rushes out the door doing exactly as he was instructed, figuring that a tag by his neck would draw to much attention to the shirt he decides to do his best and hide it in his jacket. Walking into the classroom for a second time today he heads over to the teacher’s desk to hand him the hall pass. Looking around he could see all eyes on him, this was probably the first time any of them had seen him without his beanie on and his long shaggy raven locks exposed to the world.

“Take your seat Mr. Vincent,” Mr. Zimmerman said waving to the rows of seats, “Your books are already there, and next time leave them somewhere more appropriate and not in the middle of the floor.”

“Yes sir, I will try harder the next time I am pulled away suddenly.” Edd said with a subtle air or disdain in his voice, he walked to his seat keeping his jacket closed as best he could to hide the shirt but the pink was still noticeable at the collar. Taking his seat he leans forward to keep the jacket draped to block most people’s view, as the teacher was writing on the board a wad of paper hits Edd in the head. He turns in the direction it had been thrown to see one of the boys from earlier mouthing the word fag and flicking his wrist daintily, Edd turned back around doing his best to ignore the barrage of paper thrown at him for the duration of the class. It amazed Edd on how much a teacher would ignore a situation, especially with all the evidence of paper and spit wads pilling up around him.

The bell rings and class lets out, as Edd was exiting the door the boy who had been harassing him all through class pushes him roughly out of his way, “Nice shirt queer.” He said then rushes toward his friends, no doubt to share with them what Edd was now wearing, Edd went in the opposite direction toward his locker but could feel the eyes of his fellow students on him. Astounded how these people would ignore him most days, but now that there was something to mock he was the center of attention, whether it was the shirt or his exposed head he was uncertain. ”It’s just unmanageable hair for Christ sake” Edd thought to himself then resolved to ignore their stares, for there was nothing he could do that was going to change it today.

Arriving at his locker which was beside his two friends, he begins to dial in his combination, Eddy hearing the noise pokes his head around the door taking in his friend’s state. “What happened to you soc….” Eddy changes his mind on the nickname, “Bed head.”

“No Eddy, it’s more like sex hair.” Ed chimed in, snickering a little at his virgin friend.

“Yeah, but you need to get laid first lumpy,” Edd sighed at his friend constant jokes about his supposed virginity, last year with Tommy Thompson counted didn’t it. He just couldn’t correct his friends on the subject, who knew how they would react, even if they did react favorable Tommy would deny it, he hasn’t spoken to Edd since. “So what did happen and what’s up with that shirt?” 

Eddy’s concerned but annoying question snaps Edd out of his thoughts. “Swirly,” Edd replied quietly, “and the shirt is all the office had to give me, mine is currently drenched in toilet water.”

“Tim?” Big Ed said closing his locker, Double D nodded in confirmation to his question.

“Want us to teach him a lesson?” Eddy cracked his knuckles raring for a good fight and to show that jock he couldn’t mess with the Ed’s.

The warning bell rang and Edd closes his locker, “As much as I appreciate the offer Eddy, you know it won’t change anything.” Edd rushed off not wanting to talk about this anymore, he waved goodbye to his friends and called over his shoulder as he walked away “I’ll see you at lunch.”

Eddy still thought the asshole needed a lesson in manners and when he spotted a certain red hat walking through the crowd of students a thought hit him. A thought that would help prove to Eddy that the jock was more than talk when it came to Edd and give him the satisfaction of revenge on behalf of his friend. Approaching the red head he stops in front of him barring his path, “We need to talk,” is all Eddy said, the look of determination upon the short boys face told Kevin he was serious and for Edd’s sake he would hear him out.

Edd waited in the lunch room at their usual table for his friends to show up, but by half way through the break they were still nowhere to be seen and he was beginning to worry about them. He would look up every once in a while from his meal to see if they had entered yet, but to not avail. As he stared at the door for what felt like the hundredth time his attention was broken and his thoughts interrupted by a hand on his shoulder, looking up he sees Kevin. “What’s up?” The jock asked.

Edd halfheartedly smiled at the red head but turned his attention back at the door, “Waiting on my friends.” He replied.

“They’ll be along shortly, we were caught up in something.” Kevin took his seat beside the raven haired teen.

Edd looks him in the face and studies his expression, what did he mean we were caught up? “What did you all do?”

With a guilty grin on his face Kevin explains, “Teaching a certain asshole a lesson.”

Horror strikes Edd and it could be seen on his face, Kevin’s change in expression told him as much, “Do you think this will stop him? Or should I go hire a bodyguard?”

Eddy drops his tray on the table startling Edd in the process, “We made it pretty clear that anything he does to you we will return to him.”

Edd’s mouth was a gap as Big Ed joined them sitting beside Eddy, along with Nat who sat on the opposite side of Kevin from Edd. “So what exactly did you all do to him that took so long?” Kevin points to the entrance, looking up Edd sees Tim walking in his hair and shirt drenched with what Edd would assume to be toilet water. “A swirly, really, it took you all this long to do a swirly.”

“Well first there was luring him there.” Nat replied, “Had to get him away from his friends.”

“Then we did it to him about two or three times.” Eddy added.

“Not to mention that we had to run from the janitor.” Ed included then went back to eating his biscuits and gravy.

Edd looked to Kevin for an explanation the jock chuckled a little then let him know. “Nat told him the coach wanted to see him, leading him to the locker room where we were waiting to jump him, we gave him three good dunks when half way through the third the janitor walks in and sees the feet dangling in the air, in a panic we drop him and run for it.”

“Best god damn time I’ve had in awhile.” Eddy says smacking the table remembering the look on Tim’s face as he was dunked in the toilet the first time. “I think he got a mouth full.” Eddy continued to laugh, the jock had proven himself to be a true friend to Edd, so Eddy in turn would not say a word against him hanging around his friend.

Kevin looked at Edd, taking in his appearance without his beanie, “You know, I like the look, you should really show off your hair more often.” Kevin smiled gently at the boy, Edd blushed and turned his face away from the red head.

Eddy spoke with a mouthful of food trying to finish his meal before the bell rang, “I’ve been telling him that for years, maybe you can finally talk some sense into him.” The rest of what little time was left of the lunch break was spent in camaraderie with the two sets of friends. The more Nat saw the interaction between his friend and this dork the more he came to understand their gravitational pull toward each other and why their friendship was meant to be. Eddy and Ed were glad that their friend was meeting new people and putting himself out there, maybe he would learn that not all people have ill intent for you just because you don’t know them.


	8. Once More unto the Breach Dear Friends

The next day after Tim got his invitation to join the swirly club Edd stared into the mirror in his bathroom. He was looking at the raven locks of his perpetual bed head, debating whether or not to skip school until he got a new hat or to just go to school as is. Why did Kevin have to go and say he liked his hair? Though he had to admit it was pushing him out of his comfort zone which is a good thing, but on the other hand it was pushing him out of his comfort zone which was raising his anxiety. For the past ten minutes he had been fighting with his hair, trying to get it to at least look like he didn’t just roll out of bed, with little to no success. Lightly banging his head against the mirror in frustration, “Why won’t you cooperate with me?” But getting no response from the unruly hair Edd continued to fuss over it until finally he had to leave or miss the bus, and that was a fate worse than a bad hair day in his opinion.

Rushing to the bus stop he found he was uncharacteristically late, being the last one to show up before the bus arrived, “Yo Double D, did you just roll out of bed?’ Eddy called to him as he entered the group waiting on the corner.

“N-no,” Edd meekly replied as he joined his friends, “I’ve been trying to get my hair to behave, with no success as you can see.”

“Sit,” Eddy points to the ground in front of him, Edd complies putting his book bag on the ground and sitting on top of it. Eddy ruffled his hair a little, then running his fingers through it trying to make it look more expectable, “There, now it’s less bed head and more sex head.” Eddy said as Ed stood behind him rubbing his chin trying to decide if there was truly any difference or not.

“Does it really look better?” Double D looked to Ed for reassurance and the boy finally decided to give his approval with a nod and thumbs up.

“So where’s the hat man?” Eddy said as he helped his friend back onto his feet.

“I still don’t feel comfortable wearing it, even though it’s been washed three times already,” Edd could only think of what might be lurking in the seams of his hat whenever he looked at it, “I might just throw it out and get a new one.”

“But you’ve had that hat forever,” Big Ed said rather loudly, reverting back to his excitable ways from when he was a kid drawing attention from the other students, noticing Ed calms down and softly said, “It’s like a piece of history is being thrown out with the trash.” As Ed finishes his sentence the bus rounds the corner down the street from them and begins to head in their direction, everyone at the stop begins to gather up at its usual stopping point. 

The conversations between the friends went into its usual light hearted norm, plans for after school get-togethers and movie marathons were made, with Edd strictly forbidding them from watching I was a teenage zombie hooker again as the only condition. Arriving at school the boys took their usual seats in the lunch room to await the bell, being quickly joined by Kevin and Nat, “Glad you took my advice man, your hair looks good.”

“You think so?” Edd blushes, not looking the jock in the eyes.

Grabbing Edd’s chin gently Kevin turns him to face him but was looking more at his hair, he reaches up and moves one strand of hair and says, “There, now it’s perfect,” and smiles at Edd deeply. With the encouragement from his friends, not to mention the subtle feeling that Kevin just flirted with him, Edd had decided that maybe it was time to move on from the security blanket his hat had become. The rest of the week was pretty normal, but moved by slowly for Edd, the thought of the upcoming game looming in the back of his mind that included the opportunity to hang out with Kevin outside of school again.

Friday finally came to the relief of the student body, not only were they looking forward to the weekend, but to the utter annihilation of their long time rivals Lemon Brook. At the end of the school day they held a pep rally in the gym for the football team, the whole school was in attendance and slowly filling the pull out bleachers that were attached to the wall. The staff was seated on the floor equally distributed on either side of a small podium where the principal and coach would give their speeches, a small group of band members comprising of the first and second chairs sat behind them to play the schools fight song thought out the rally at certain spots.

As the trio of friends was walking up the rickety bleachers they heard Kevin hailing them over as he waved his arm in a beckoning manor. Nat putting his two cents in thinking they hadn’t seen them cupped his hands and yelled, “Hey dorks, get your asses up here.”

To which the coach yelled up to Nat, “Mr. Goldberg watch your mouth,” Nat sat down visibly mocking the man, “My office after the rally, Mr. Goldberg.”

As the boys sat down Nat was mumbling something about a stick up someone’s ass. Double D sat beside Kevin on his left, Nat being on the right side of the jock, Ed beside D and Eddy on the end. “Hey, you excited about tonight?” Kevin said hold up his fist to Edd.

Edd meekly balled his hand into a fist and bumped it against Kevin’s, “Ecstatic,” he replied with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

“Hey Edd,” the voice that called out from behind him sent a chill down his spine, Edd turned his head and shoulders a little to look behind him and lock eyes with Marie he gave a gently wave of his hand in response. “How are you?” She continued to push hoping to be invited to sit with them

Kevin turned his body so he could face her and Edd both, “Hey Marie, what up?” He gave a little wave to her with his right hand then placed it on Edd’s left shoulder, she gazed at that hand intently for a moment and gagged Edd’s reaction. The touch sent another shiver down Edd’s spine, but this one was the polar opposite from the one a moment ago. “How’s your sister?” Kevin continued, massaging Edd’s shoulder slightly, Marie looked intent on chopping that hand off.

Marie was still doing the passive aggressive thing and did her best to not let her emotions be heard in her voice, “She’s fine, but not very happy with you,” Marie looked Kevin in the eyes and smiled broadly but then turned her attention back to Edd, “I’m happy you got a friend that will choose you, you know, over some party invite,” She looks over at Eddy coldly to emphasis her point.

“Thanks Marie,” Edd all but whispered.

“Yeah, he’s a really cool dude,” Kevin said shaking him slightly with the hand that was on Edd’s shoulder, “Now if only some other people would try and be his friend without having ulterior motives.” Kevin said bluntly not breaking his gaze from Marie, she flinched knowingly, well aware that he was referring to her even if he didn’t say it outright. Seeing that he got the desired result Kevin turns back around, removing his hand from Edd’s shoulder in the process. The rally started only moments later and Edd felt bad for Marie that Kevin was tactfully blunt, but at the same time he couldn’t help but wonder how many years of rejection it takes before someone gets the hint. 

The small group of band members began to play as the cheerleaders shouted out the words to the Peach Creek High fight song and did varying degrees of stunts to riel up the crowd. After the principle took the podium and in a monotone voice began to address the student body on how this was an exciting occasion for them all. That they needed to be good sports, win or lose there was not to be a repeat of last year’s shenanigans, no TPing Lemon Brooks school, no egging the coach’s house and definitely no kidnapping their mascot. “The boy from last year is still in therapy people, it’s not funny, I see you over there Jonny don’t think I don’t know what you and plank are planning.” Everyone in attendance looked over at the two boys who did their best to look like total angels, the principle pointed to fingers to his eyes and then at the boys to let them know he was watching them.

After the principal was down with his very rousing speech it was the coach’s turn, “Are we going to destroy Lemon Brook?” To a unanimous roaring reply from the crowd of YEAH and the stomping of feet on the old bleachers, “Are we going to maim and slaughter them?” Again with the yelling and stomping of the feet, Edd found it amusing that his four friends were all so energized about this game, especially Ed and Eddy who were probably not going anyway, guess they just needed to let off some steam. “Are we going to send that bunch of pansies back home to their momma’s crying?” Edd could feel a drop in his stomach with the homophobic slur as the crowd cheered, but did his best to hide it, it was common in sports to berate an opponent in such a way. “What are we going to do?” The crowd screams WIN, “Who are we going to kill?” the crowd in return, THEM, followed by a thunderous applaud and stomping of the feet, after that the coach began introducing the players. The first being the captain and QB Tommy who ran onto the court with his right fist over his shoulder swinging it in a circle making a whooping sound, mimicking the popular talk show host Arsenio Hall, the crowd in turn responded in kind with the same motion of their fist and whooping. As Tommy took his position he scanned the crowd for the girl who made his heart skip a beat, Myrtle, spotting her he smiled.

After the team was introduced and all in rank and file the coach continued, “We are going to destroy Lemon Brook tonight and in regional’s, we are taking our boys all the way to state this year.” Which was met with an uproarious cheer and more stomping of the feet, how these bleachers were still standing considering their age and misuse was beyond Edd’s comprehension.

This kind of commotion lasted for another twenty minutes before the pep rally ended, and the student body made their way off the old bleachers and out into the halls to get on their respective buses and head home. As the six of them reached the bottom of the bleachers a pretty blonde in a cheerleader uniform comes up to Kevin, “Hey Kev, got a minute?”

“Sure Nazz,” turning around to face his friends, “Hey Nat, Edd, I’ll catch up with you guys in a minute,” He watched for a little while as they walked off with Marie in tow, then seeing Nat get snatched up by the coach, he chuckled and shackes his head then turns back to the blonde, “What’s up?”

“Are you going to Tommy’s bonfire tonight after the game?” She bit her bottom lip and looked a little coy as she stared into Kevin’s green eyes.

“Yeah sure,” Kevin scratched the back of his neck knowing how she was going to react to the next part, “I’m bringing friends so I’ll be with them most of the night.”

“Well Nat’s cool, he can take care of himself.” She waved it off with her right hand then brushed it against Kevin’s chest and left it to rest there.

“Not just Nat.” Kevin was looking a little flustered, hadn’t they already had this talk about their friendship, she needed to stop flirting.

“Who, the dork squad?” She pointed in the direction that the three Ed’s had left in with her left hand never removing her right from his chest.

“Nazz,”

She furrowed her brow and spoke very bluntly, “Kevin, you need to think about your reputation, hanging out with these dork is going to kill it.”

Kevin takes a step back to give some proper distance between them, so it was more like friends, “You know I don’t care about that.”

Looking a little put off because he had spurned her touch, “Well you should, we could be prom King and Queen this year.”

He cocks a brow and starts to turn away from her, “Don’t care,” and starts to walk away, “I’ll see you tonight Nazz.” He knew she was a good person, they have been friends for years, the both of them had even tried dating a few years back but unfortunately he had to admit to himself that he saw her more as a sister than anything else. She on the other hand still had a crush on him, she did do her best to contain her feelings so she didn’t make him uncomfortable but sometimes she got carried away and those emotions would seep out. He didn’t hold it against her, he understood you couldn’t help who you like or fall in love with. Catching back up to his friends he discreetly told Edd not to make any plans for tonight after the game and to be prepared for another all-nighter with him. Edd’s nervousness about this evening went from mild to def-con 5 in a matter of seconds.


	9. The Fire-Eyed Maid of Smoky War

Edd arrived at home with enough time to put his school supplies away, clean himself up from the day’s activities and have a quick supper before Kevin and Nat would pick him up at six for the game. After finishing their meal his mother heads toward the stair case to retrieve her purse from her room, “You ready to go?” She calls to Edd as she begins the accent up the stairs, but he looked like he had something to say but didn’t know how to approach the subject, “It’s almost six, you’ll be late if we don’t leave soon.”

“Some friends are going to be picking me up and…” He wasn’t sure if she would approve of him staying the night with Kevin with their age gap, “I was wondering if I could stay over at their place tonight.”

“Sure you can stay with Ed and Eddy, why on earth are you act like I’d say no.” She could see the nervous expression on his face deepen.

He swallowed and fidgeted with his hands a little, he didn’t want to tell her he was going to a party tonight with Kevin and Nat, “Because I’m not going to be staying with them.”

She descends back down from the few steps she had taken on the stairs and comes to stand in front of her son, taking in his nervous behavior wondering what it was that was making him act this way. When Edd looked up into her eyes he could have sworn her gaze was trying to penetrate the inner workings of his mind and discern if he was lying to her. “Have I met these friends?”

“Yes,” what he omitted was the fact that it had only been once and very briefly. A knock on the front door breaks the tension in the room and Mrs. Vincent turns to open the door.

Standing upon their front door stoop was a very energetic and smiling Kevin, “Good evening Mrs. Vincent, I’m Eddward’s friend Kevin, is he here?” 

She cocks a brow, giving the older boy the once over before allowing him entrance into her home, then looking at the car out front and it’s teal haired driver. Closing the door she turns back to her son with an expression that told him she knew he was with holding something, “So what are you boy’s doing after the game?” She looks Kevin squarely in his green eyes.

“Oh you know ma’am, the usual stuff teenage boys do, play video games, watch movies and pig out on pizza.” Kevin was keeping that winning smile upon his face and his demeanor calm and collected as though ever word coming out of his mouth was the whole truth and nothing else. 

Her expression had shifted from the concerned mother wondering what trouble her son was going to be getting into, to one of confusion as she tried to figure out why this older and obviously more popular boy was interested in her son. The other side of her mind was screaming to her that this could be a good thing for Edd, this boy just might help him come out of his shell a little and get him to interact with different people. Looking to her son she sighs and gives in, “Alright you can stay the night,” Edd broadly smiles at the fact that she had agreed to this, he grabs his instrument and a small duffle bag with his change of clothes in it from the couch and begins to head toward the door, “Don’t stay up to late, mind your manners and Kevin,” she looks to the boy with an earnest expression upon her face, “Take care of my boy.” She knew there was more to this evening than movies, but it was a rite of passage most teenagers must go through in their lives and she couldn’t keep him under her wing forever.

“Don’t worry Mrs. Vincent, I’ll keep an eye on him.” He gives her that winning smile again and her worries were alleviated, somehow she knew he would.

Leaving the house they pile into Nat’s car, closing the door Kevin turns to his friend who lets out a “Lets rock,” and turns the ignition bringing the vehicle to life. He pushes the cassette into the tape deck and cranks up the volume, Smells Like Teen Spirit comes blaring out of the speakers and both boys in front began to head bang with the opening guitar rift, eliciting a laugh from Edd at their antics. Nat puts the car into drive and they begin their trip to the high school, and hopefully to witness the destruction of Lemon Brook at the hands of their team.

Dropping Edd off at the side entrance of the school which was closer to the band room, Kevin calls out to him, “We’ll see you in the bleachers,” as the car and blaring music drove off. 

Entering the building he made his way to the band room, setting down his instrument and duffle bag he gets his uniform from the rack and heads to the restroom to change with a few of the other boys. Exiting the bathroom stall he looks into the mirror and places the hat upon his head, he remember the first time he put this on he was brimming with pride. Now because Kevin was going to see him in it he thought he looked like an oversized nutcracker, the square shoulders of the jacket, the hat with the feather coming out the top front and the peach and black colors of the outfit, “God I’m such a dork.” Heading back to the room he assembles his saxophone then putting the strap around his neck and attaching it to the instrument. Gathering with the rest of the group they listen to a few instructions from their teacher then file out of the building and to the football field. Taking their positions in the stands, Edd sits on the outside of the group looking around to see if Kevin was coming over, a nervous pit forming in his stomach as thoughts of being ditched crept in, “Have more confidence in yourself, he’s your friend,” Edd thought to himself.

A hand claps him on the shoulder, looking up he sees Kevin standing behind him waiting to sit down, scooting over a little he allows him to sit. Taking his seat he takes in Edd’s uniform, “Classy,” he says as he gives a gently tug to the hem of the jacket.

Edd blushes mildly and turns his head to try and hide it from his friend, “Thanks,” not seeing the usual teal colored hair anywhere he asks, “Where’s Nat?”

“Playing match maker,” Edd gives him a confused look so he elaborates, “He has decided to play cupid and try and get Myrtle and Tommy together.”

“But what if Tommy rejects her because of his social status,” Edd looked exasperated, “You’ll break her heart telling her Tommy likes her.”

Kevin scrunches up his face at the implication that he hadn’t already thought of that, “He’s not telling her that, we’re just extending an invitation to the party is all.” He bumps his shoulder against Edd’s playfully, “Don’t worry, we’re only giving them a little nudge in the right direction.” 

The announcer came over the speaker system welcoming everyone to the game, then makes the appropriate introduction for each team and finally, “Please stand for the National Anthem.” Everyone stands and the band begins to play, Edd felt at peace with the rise and fall of the music, it brought him joy to bring into the world something that sounded so beautiful. Once the song ended everyone takes their seats again, Peach Creek having lost the coin toss Lemon Brook would be receiving at the start, and as Peach Creek lines up for the kick, Kevin speaks "O war! Thou son of hell,” and the game begins. By the end of the first quarter both sides had an injury and Peach Creek was down by a touchdown, at half time they were down by four points, Lemon Brook missing the extra point and Peach Creek getting a two point conversation.

At the half time show the band lines up on the field with the color guard to perform their routine, the music was two pieces from the movie Hook and a drum line solo in-between them. Edd was a nervous wreck, he had performed this number countless times, keeping in time with the music and where he should be on the field. But now Kevin was watching and his palms were sweating, if it wasn’t for the strap around his neck he felt he would have probably dropped his instrument. By the end of the number he was thanking god that he didn’t trip or make some dumb mistake to draw attention to himself, returning to the stands he takes his seat beside his friend. “You were amazing out there,” he said smiling at Edd warmly.

“Oh really,” Edd said feeling a little embarrassed, “It’s not like you could tell which one was me from up here.”

“I could tell,” Was Kevin’s response with his trade mark smirk, Edd could do nothing but blush. In the second half the excitement in the stands was palpable as Peach Creek came to the field for war. And it showed as Lemon Brook was quickly being dominated by the barbarians that was the Peach Creek offensive line, and held at bay by the Spartans of the defensive line. Close to the end of the third quarter Nat comes and sits with his friend, “Where’ve you been?”

“Just getting to know Myrtle’s friend Tracy a little better, that girl’s ass, mmmh.” Nat made a gesture with his hands as though he was cupping her butt right now.

Kevin didn’t look to happy about that, “You didn’t do anything to scare the poor girl?”

Nat feigned shock at his friend’s words, “I would never,” then putting his hands behind his head, “But you know the girls love me though.”

“Sure they do.”

“I know who’s going to be scoring a touchdown tonight, and it’s not you Kev.” And the crowd goes wild around them as Peach Creek scores.

“Such deplorable behavior,” Edd spoke under his breath but Nat heard him anyways.

Nat leaned forward and called over Kevin to Edd, “Hey Double Dry spell, don’t hate the player.” 

“Leave the kid alone.”

“I know Kevin, let’s get the boy laid, he will be better off,” Nat then slaps Edd’s leg, “We’ll make a MAN out of ya boy.”

Kevin grabs the wrist of the hand that he hit Edd’s leg with, “Back off Nat.”

“Geez, I’m just having some fun.” He pulls his wrist from Kevin’s grasp.

Kevin leans over to Edd, “Sorry about that, he gets a little excitable sometimes.”

“It’s quite alright, I know he doesn’t mean anything by it.”

“You tell him Edd, it’s just guys being guys,” Nat was caressing his wrist where Kevin had grabbed it, and the conversation about Edd’s virginity had been dropped by all present. They turned their attention back to the game and the conversation followed the games happenings from that moment on. By the end of the game Peach Creek won by a single point, but it was a win none the less.


	10. The Sweet Birds, O, How They Sing!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Bullying based on someone’s body type, language.

As the spectators filled out of the stands and into the parking lot, Edd made a mad dash toward the school to change out of his marching band uniform. Reaching the band room he quickly switches from the uniform into his street clothes, forgoing modesty in his rush he decides to just change quickly in a secluded corner of the storage room behind some racks. Placing his uniform on its hangers and back on the rack, he then places his instrument in a storage bin so he can pick it up Monday when he returns to school. Changed and free of the cumbersome case he rushes out of the band room and down the hall at a quick pace just below a jog, minding the rules so as not to be stopped by his band teacher who was coming down the hall toward him. “Goodnight Mr. Bruner,” Edd said and kept going at his quickened pace barely hearing the reply sent back to him.

Exiting the building he picked up his pace to a jog, making his way in the direction Kevin had told him the car would be parked, reaching his destination he slows down. He spots Nat leaning against the car flirting with Tracy, running his fingers through her long straight black hair as he spoke to her. The smile upon her face and a blush upon her porcelain skin told Edd that she was enjoying the attention he was giving her. Edd had always found Asian American girls to be very pretty and Tracy was no exception to this in her own geeky way, though he was young he understood that you didn’t need to be sexually attracted to someone to know that they were beautiful. Kevin on the other hand was awkwardly conversing with Myrtle, he would bring up some topic for discussion and she would give him short quick answers in response. Having been the social outcast most of her short life due to her weight, the acne she got with the onset of puberty and the fact that she wore glasses she was now having a hard time determining why Kevin Barr would be talking to her so the situation made her nervous. Matter of fact the whole idea of going to a party filled with jocks, cheerleaders and the rest of the popular kids at school had her scared, if it wasn’t for Tracy getting star struck by Nat they would be on their way back to Tracy’s house for that sleep over they had planned earlier that week. But Tracy practically begged her to come once Nat started whispering in her ear, most likely promises he hoped would wiggle her friend out of her pants and that he had no intention of keeping. 

Kevin spotting the raven haired boy greats him enthusiastically, then turns to Nat smacking him on the arm with the back of his hand snapping him back into reality, “We’re ready to go man,” Nat scowls a little at Kevin for having interrupted his moment with Tracy. 

He returns his attention to the girl and says something softly to her then bops her on the nose gently with his finger, she smiles and walks to the other side of the car getting in the passenger seat. “All aboard ladies, the love boat soon will be making another run,” he sings the last part like the old 80’s theme song, then opens the backseat door for Edd and gives him a sly wink as the boy climbs in. Myrtle gets in the back on the passenger side, and as Kevin was climbing in Nat address him playfully, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, stud.” 

Puckering up his lips Nat began to make a kissing sound while batting his eye’s at the boy, Kevin being as much of a joker as his friend grabs him and gives him a quick kiss then gets in the car, “Next time I’ll use tongue, asshole.”

Nat closes the door and gets into the driver seat, fanning himself with his left hand he says in a very bad southern accent, “Oh dear looord, I’s got the vapors.” Then he collapses his head between the two front seats right hand to his forehead as though he had fainted dramatically.

Edd, Myrtle and Tracy do their best to hold in a laugh, Kevin just rolls his eyes and pokes his friend in the temple a scowl upon his face, “Come on dude, were going to be late.” 

Nat opens his eyes and cracks a smile, “Talk to me dirty daddy, you know I like it when you’re angry,”

Kevin leans down so his face was six inches from his friends face, “Turn me on anymore with those pouty lips of yours and you might get a mouthful,” He kisses the air in front of him then leans back into his seat.

Nat gets back up and starts the car, “Not with that Vienna sausage you won’t.” Putting the car into drive they head off into the night, exiting the parking lot they take a right onto Peach Creek Drive and head down the strip. Driving past all the fast food restaurants they headed into the country, finding himself between Kevin and Myrtle with no place to put his arms Edd crosses them hoping to stop awkwardly trying to find somewhere to put them. Only to find that he was now brushing his hand against Kevin’s well defined biceps, an urge to stroke them with his fingers comes over him but he quickly shakes that thought from his mind. Ten minutes after entering the country they turn into the gravel driveway of Tommy’s parents farm, at the right side of the house and positioned slightly behind it stood an old style barn with a blazing bonfire in front of it that was providing light and warmth for the chilly night. Pulling into the designated parking area there were several other cars already there, signaling that a fair amount of people were already here, getting out of the car the five of them made their way over to the fire and the barn filled with talk and loud music.

Tracy like Edd had a ton of courage for this event because of who was accompanying them, Myrtle on the other hand was feeling like the fifth wheel and was sheepishly following the group. Kevin noticing this stops and waits for her to catch up to him then wraps his arm around her, “Come on girl, I got ya,” he smiles at her warmly, “Just relax and have fun, they really aren’t all that special you know.”

She was yet again confused as to why someone as popular as Kevin would be considerate of her feelings, but she had to admit that he helped pull a weight off her shoulders if just a little bit. Walking past the fire they enter the barn, to the right stood a table with an expensive looking multi-tiered home stereo system upon it that had a turn table on the top. On the table to the right of the stereo lay cassette tapes and CD cases, and on the floor standing up in milk crates were several vinyl records, in front of the table a boy from the football team was playing DJ with the assortment of music provided, Currently Jump by The Movement was playing. The barn itself was decently cleaned all things considered and well-lit, in the back of the building was a refreshment table with a variety of 2-liters of soda and bags of chips, along with the usual paper plates and plastic cups placed upon it neatly. Along the walls where several hay bales for the kids to sit upon leaving the middle as a make shift dance floor, which several of their classmates were already making use of in what Edd would personal describe as lacking rhythm or style.

As soon as they had entered the barn Nat had spirited Tracy away to try and play Romeo once again, effectively leaving the three of them to fend for themselves. Kevin directed them to one of the hay bales then excuses himself as well, he turns his head and looks around him quickly but did not see Tommy, finding him would be simpler if Nat hadn’t decided to bale on him. Not seeing his objective anywhere in the building he heads outside and turns the corner to find Tommy leaning his back against the side of the barn gazing up at the moon. Hearing Edd laugh on the other side of the wall he knew to keep his voice down, “Hey come on Tommy, she’s inside.”

“I don’t know man, I didn’t think I would be this nervous about it,” Tommy let out a sigh.

“Shit, I never thought I’d see the day that Tommy’s spine would turn into Jell-O over talking to a girl, dude you’re the man who can face down a charging linebacker and not flinch.” Kevin turns his head to the wall and looks through a crack to see Edd and Myrtle in a lively conversation, “Is it because it’s her, or are you always like this?” As far as pep talks go he wasn’t sure if tapping into the boy’s sense of masculinity was the right call or not.

“It’s her, I’m scared at what she’ll say.”

“What she’ll say or what they’ll say?” Tommy looks over at Kevin sternly after what he had just said, but his expression faltered.

“Both,” If he was being honest he didn’t want to be laughed at no matter what, but he couldn’t bear the thought of not making that girl laugh, he loved her laugh from the first time he heard it.

“They’re not going to matter in seven months, don’t kick yourself in the ass later because you didn’t take a chance now.” Kevin took in a deep breath then let it out slowly as he thought of a solution to this situation that might make them both a little more at ease with each other. “Look, how about I bring her out here and you two can sit and talk, away from prying eyes, and get to know each other.”

“Would you do that?”

“Sure, but if you decide to date her, then you do it out in the open, no hiding her or being ashamed of her because she doesn’t fit your status in the school.” Kevin’s expression was one of seriousness and determination, “If you can’t do that then tell me now, I will not let you hurt her.”

Tommy’s face had a serious expression on it as he weighed his options, it didn’t take him long to decide that Myrtle meant more to him then some reputation that wouldn’t mean anything shortly anyways. “I get what you’re saying and I will not hurt her.”

“Good man,” Kevin pats him on the shoulder a few times, “Wait here, I’ll be back in a minute with her.”

Shortly after entering the barn he was sidelined by Nazz who with too much excitement in her voice which betrayed her feelings for him and a smile upon her face greeted him, “Hey Kev.”

“Hey Nazz,” He replies half heartedly, he didn’t have time for her puppy love at the moment, he needed to get to Myrtle quickly so Tommy didn’t have a chance to chicken out on this again.

She looks over her shoulder in the direction in which he was looking, “Oh, that is so sweet of you to hook the dork up,” turning back around she looks him in the eyes, his face was expressing the disbelief he had with the tone in her voice, “They make such the cute couple don’t they, if they were seniors this year we might actually have some compotation at prom.” Myrtle excuses herself and heads over to the refreshments table.

“First off Nazz, it’s not like that, they’re not dating.” He points over to where Edd was sitting but not paying attention that some girls were headed over to Myrtle, “And secondly I pretty much told you to fuck off about prom.” He didn’t mean to be so rude to her about this, but something about her tone when she was talking about Edd pissed him off.

Over at the refreshments table Myrtle was busy pouring herself some diet coke and refusing to look at the chips being offered, “Look girls its Myrtle the hurdle.” Myrtle instantly stiffened from the cruel nickname Amy had decided to give her as a few girls started to laugh, “Watch out Betty, she might take your had to get those chips.” Myrtle looks to her right and sees the aforementioned girl standing next to her with her hand on the table next to the bags of chips.

Myrtle turns to walk away from the bullies, but with a cruel smile upon her face Betty picks up the soda she had left behind, “You forgot your drink Hurdle,” and flings it at her drenching her back and staining her white sweater. Tommy had turned the corner just in time to see what had happened, thinking that Kevin was taking too long he had decided to come ask Myrtle to come walk with him. At first he thought his initial fears were justified, but when the girl ran past him sobbing, her tear stained face shattered his heart and his legs ran after her of their own accord.

In the excitement of the situation Kevin had slipped away from the unpleasant conversation he was having with Nazz and takes Edd’s wrist in his hand and pulls him from where he was seated and out the door, “Let’s get out of this nest of vipers for a moment.”

From their perch in the hay loft Nat and Tracy saw what transpired after Myrtle screamed, “I should go get her.” Tracy said as she buttoned the top of her shirt up.

“She’ll be fine, Tommy’s got her, didn’t I tell you he was interested.”

“Yeah I know that’s why you wanted me to convince her to come out here in the first place, but I should…”

He brushes her hair away from her neck silencing her with the contact, “That’s not the only reason,” then kisses her neck applying a light suction to it, eliciting a soft moan from the girl. The interesting thing that had caught his eye a moment ago was Kevin leading Edd out of the barn by the wrist, “Just a little further to go” he thought to himself.

Kevin leads them around to the side of the barn, stops and slams his fist against the side of the building, softly he speaks while trying to control his temper, “I just don’t get people like that anymore.” Releasing Edd’s wrist, he leans against the wall and slides down it to sit upon the ground, “Why do they have to hurt someone in order to make themselves feel better?”

Edd joins him on the ground, “Maybe they see something in the person they are envious of, and therefore must tarnish it. I don’t know really, I’m probably just grasping at straws there.”

“You’re probably right though, but do you know what really pissed me off the most about that whole thing?” Edd shook his head to signify he did not, “That someone I thought of as a kind person showed me how cruel they could be.” The picture of Nazz laughing at Myrtle’s expense replayed itself over and over in Kevin’s head, he knew she was a better person then that, he could only hope that what he saw was her just getting carried away in the moment. They both sat in silence for a good ten minutes letting Kevin calm down, he has always been at a station within the school that he has never had to confront the outcome of bullying before, but now that there was someone he cared for in his life that suffered from it he was more attuned to its affects and his heart ached for Myrtle. Leaning his head on Edd’s shoulder he whispers, “I know I have said it before, but I never want to see you get hurt like that again.”

Edd’s heart was racing at such intimate contact, sure Eddy and Ed have done something similar in the past, but his heart doesn’t yearn for them like it does for the red head. Regardless of how many times he tells himself to keep it on just friendly terms with Kevin his heart keeps finding ways to fall even deeper. “Thank you Kevin, I appreciate that a lot,” he rests his head upon Kevin’s baseball cap. A moment later he looks up and sees Tommy leading Myrtle into his house, he cocks a brow at this new development but relaxes when a moment later they exit again, Myrtle wearing Tommy’s letterman jacket to cover the stain on her back.

They walk by the two boys sitting on the ground and into the barn again, “Looks like they get their happy ending after all,” Kevin said with a slight smile on his face, Edd hummed his agreement at that statement. A few moments later Songbird by Fleetwood Mac starts to play. Kevin licks his lips and asks a question that had formed in his mind when Nazz made her statement about Edd looking good together with Myrtle, “So you’ve never told me, but is there someone you’re interested in?”

Edd swallowed the lump in his throat, “Why do you ask,” Kevin had not removed his head from his shoulder yet, that coupled with the song had him feeling like cupid was using a mini-gun to shot those arrows tonight.

Kevin’s palms were sweating, “Just curious.”

Edd’s nerves were on edge should he lie and say no, would he push for a name if he answered honestly? “Emmm, Yes there is someone I am interested in.” 

“So who’s the lucky girl?”

“It doesn’t matter really, they would never be interested in me.” Edd sighed knowing full well that these words were probably true, and the weight of his unrequited love for Kevin threatened to crush him.

“I promise I won’t say anything.”

“That cow, who does she think she is,” Amy’s voice could be heard on the other side of the wall.

“Tommy could do so much better,” Betty added, “Why he has to make a spectacle of himself and dance with that lard ass is beyond me.” Kevin’s blood was boiling once again, but instead of escalating the situation by lashing out at those two ignorant children and in turn getting their boyfriends who were on the football team angry at him and thus starting a fight, which would escalate because Nat would get involved, he choose to focus on the good things that were happening in that moment. Peaking through the crack between the boards both he and Edd saw Myrtle and Tommy slow dancing to the music, they were both smiling broadly at the new couple.

“And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score,”

Kevin looks over at Edd, and with a smile upon his face Edd turned and locked eyes with Kevin, the jock could swear that the blue of Edd’s eyes would have, in that moment, shamed even the most brilliant of sapphires.

“And I love you, I love you, I love you like never before, like never before, like never before.”


	11. Sin from Thy Lips? O Trespass Sweetly Urged!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter signifies that the pendulum has reached its apex and thus will begin its swing. Finding Shakespeare quotes for titles that fit what I want to do for the chapter is getting kind of harder to do. I had to reread the entire balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet to get this one, hence why there is another quote in this chapter from that scene.

Tommy and Myrtle spent the rest of their night together getting to know each other properly. Ignoring the looks from all the naysayers, he made sure that all she saw was him and that all she heard was his voice. She was as giddy as a school girl, never in her wildest dreams did she think that this beautiful boy would ever be interested in her. Enraptured by his eyes as she looked deep within them, the smile upon his lips as they talked set her mind at easy and the touch of his hand made her heart skip a beat. In the back of her mind she was waiting for the moment she would wake and find out that this was all but a dream, how could this handsome and athletic man with perfect coco skin be interested in her. Her self-esteem issues did not only came from the teasing her classmates gave her over her weight and complexion but from the countless diets her parents have put her on, her mother always making it sound like she would never find a boy to love her if she didn’t lose the weight and clear up her acne. As though happiness was associated with her dress size, she had good friends who didn’t care she had a few extra pounds on her, and she was funny and smart and enjoyed a good laugh, so I would say she was a happy person, she just lacked self confidence.

To Tommy she was a goddess that deserved the adoration of all, the smile upon her face was that of angels, the blush of her cheeks reminded him of the reddest rose, her eyes an autumn day. How could these people be so cruel to such a ravishing creature, now that it was up to him he would make sure there was nothing but a smile upon her face. Interlacing their hands together he leans in shyly for their first kiss, he did not want to scare to poor girl off but he did desired to express his feeling to her, their lips join and the chaste kiss was as sweet as honey for the both of them. That kiss sent a shiver of excitement down both their spins and time seemed to stand still, for Tommy it was the softness of those lips and that they belonged to her, for Myrtle it was the fact that it was her first kiss, and to receive it from someone as kind and as handsome as Tommy was a dream come true for her.

Kevin and Edd sat near the bonfire keeping the chill in the night air at bay, from their vantage point they could see the new couple sitting upon a bench under the old oak tree in Tommy’s front yard. Not that they were being Peeping Toms or anything, but when the kiss was exchanged Kevin taps Edd on the arm with the back of his hand and points in the direction of the new couple. The dork just smiles and blushes that he had spied the intimate moment meant for just the two of them. “It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it?” Kevin says to his younger friend with a smile upon his face, as their kiss broke he could barely make out Myrtle’s shy smile and Tommy’s happy face, “Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books.”

“You and your Shakespeare,” Edd teased, implying that Kevin was just showing off his poetic side.

“Nothing wrong with a little Romeo and Juliet if the situation calls for it,” Kevin said smugly, happy that his little cupid act had paid off and that Myrtle and Tommy were at last starting to take a chance on one another.

“So right you are, nothing says be mine forever like poison and a dagger.”Edd quipped at his statement, “But love from love, toward school with heavy looks,” Edd thought to himself finishing the quote in regards to his feelings toward Kevin. His heart yearned for the red head and he couldn’t help that, he was funny, caring and kind not to mention Edd could have a decent conversation with him. Oh how he longed to be held by those strong arms once again, to breathe in the scent of his cologne as he nuzzled his face in Kevin’s chest, to hear him softly whisper sweet poetry in his ear and just maybe taste those lushes lips. But his logical side still told him it was a hope he would just have to burry deep within himself, for he looked at it like a of the coin, a game of chance that could have terrible consequences if the odds were not in his favor. If the coin landed on heads he could take the chance and give it a try but probably get rejected by Kevin thus ruining their friendship, on tails Kevin accepts his advances and they have a little fun but still ruin their friendship, then there is the coin landing on its edge and they have their fairy tale ending. 

“Hey the tragedy, though sad, emphasizes the beauty of the tale, that they were so in love with each other that neither could live without the other.” Kevin takes in a breath and sighs, “To be that in love with someone must be scary, but also invigorating.”

Edd raises a brow at his friend, “Do I need to keep sharp objects away from you Mr. Barr?”

“No, I would never kill myself over someone,” Kevin returns the look back at Edd, “But to be that in love with someone that you are willing to say I would die for you is a level of love that I would like to experience in my lifetime. That bond you would have to have for someone that would make you put your own life in danger just to make sure they were safe.”

Edd opens his mouth to respond with a witty comment about white knights and chivalry, but was interrupted by Nat, “Hey.” Tracy goes jogging toward Tommy and Myrtle, “I’ve got to get these two home, are you guys coming or staying?”

“We’ll be coming with,” Kevin stands and brushes off the back of his pants of any dirt,” Who knows if we could catch a ride with any of these assholes.” Kevin was pretty sure that they would probably try and ditch Edd the first chance they’d get just for laughs. Extending a hand he helps Edd up on his feet, the three of them made their way to the car where they met up with the girls. Climbing in they began the journey back to town, the trip was a quiet one as the energy of its occupants was low, it being late at night they were all getting rather tired. Edd found his eyes getting heavy as they made their way past moon lit fields that were bare after the harvest. His head bobbing a few times as sleep overtook him, found its resting place upon Kevin’s shoulder, and when Nat looked in the rearview mirror saw that Kevin had also passed out and was resting his head upon Edd’s, supporting each other as they slept.

He stops at Myrtle’s house first to drop the girls off, “When can I see you again?” He asks Tracy as she reached for the door handle but stops.

Pulling out a piece of paper she jots down her number and hands it to him, “Call me any time after school, but preferably before five.”

“Dad?”

“Mom,” She opens the door and gets out, then leans down for one final word, “Believe me its better if I ease her into the idea before you talk to her.” Nat leans forward and they kiss one last time for the evening, saying his farewells to Tracy he waves his goodbyes to Myrtle and once the door was closed and Tracy had stepped away from the car he heads off toward Kevin’s. 

A short ten minute drive and he is pulling into Kevin’s driveway, cutting the engine he reaches back and shacks the redheads knee, he wakes up with a startled look on his face, “We’re here,” Nat informs him.

Kevin groans a little and rubs his face with his free hand, then gives Edd a gentle shack, “Edd wake up, we’re here.”

“What time is it?” the boy groaned.

“Late,” Nat replies and Edd finally lifts his head off Kevin’s shoulder remembering he was in a car, “Should we take him home?” 

“He told his mother that he would be crashing at a friend’s tonight, so he’ll just stay here, I don’t want her thinking that he lied to her.” Opening the car door Kevin helps the tired Edd out of the car, saying farewell to his friend, Kevin then leads the way into the house. Stepping in they hang their jackets on the rack by the door and head upstairs to Kevin’s room, “The bathroom is down the hall on the left if you want to change into what you’re wearing to bed.” He points in the general direction and Edd sleepily shuffles off in the direction indicated, changing and brushing his teeth he exits and heads back to Kevin’s room. Entering he sees that Kevin had already changed into a pair of sweat pants, Edd places his duffle bag at the foot of Kevin’s bed. “Go ahead and climb in,” Edd complied to Kevin’s order, the bed was a double, just slightly smaller than a full but still able to allow two people to sleep in it reasonably comfortably. “I’ve got a movie for us to watch if that’s cool.”

“I’ll probably fall asleep before it’s done,” Edd yawns and Kevin holds up the movie Star Trek 6, “Cool, I like that one,” Edd said perking up just a little.

“Oh so you’ve seen it,” Kevin was a little defeated, it had just come out on VHS so he was kind of hoping to share something new with him.

“Yeah, but I will definitely watch it again.” Edd began adjusting the pillows so he could lean against the wall and watch the movie. Putting the movie into the VCR player he fast forwards through all the previews, finally hitting the movie he joins Edd on the bed as the dramatic music played the intro to the film.

The movie itself was a symbolization of the end of the cold war, the Klingon Empire having fallen on economic hardship was now making peace with the federation and the main antagonist was a Shakespearian quoting Klingon, “taH pagh taHbe'” (to be or not to be) And in a dinner scene the Klingon, a General Chang, was making his point to Kirk about their plight, “To be or not to be, that is the question which preoccupies our people Captain Kirk, we need breathing room.”

Kirks response was ironic and laughable in Edd’s eyes, “Earth Hitler 1938.” Implying that Chang was quoting a tyrannical murderer, at which Spock just raises an eyebrow at him.

“I beg your pardon,” Was Chang’s only response.

“You know Hitler actually did say that,” Kevin points out.

“Are you sure?” 

“Pretty sure,” He replied with eyes that said you know I’m right. The finally of the movie was a litany of Shakespeare quotes on revenge and warfare as the two sides battle it out, that ended with the hero’s triumphant of course. All throughout the movie Edd had been quite cold and was bundled up under the blankets trying to keep himself warm, to little avail. If it wasn’t for the cold Edd would have already been asleep, his shivering was keeping him awake, and it was now nearly three in the morning. Turning off the movie Kevin finally notices that Edd was cold, “Come on get under,” he directs the teen and then climbs in the bed after Edd adjust himself properly under the blankets, then brings the boy in close to help warm him up. Edd’s heart was racing, it felt as though it was about to fly out of his chest, here he was exactly where he wanted to be again, nuzzled up close to Kevin’s bare chest. The smell of the man was intoxicating, the warmth that was radiating from his body was soothing, those strong arms were comforting, and the feel of his bare skin against his own was a drug he couldn’t get enough of. Edd’s mind was in a daze, and when Kevin’s deep voice whispered, “Good night,” his body reacted instantly and he reaches up and joins their lips together.

Kevin was at first shocked, he wasn’t expecting this from the boy, and the moments that Kevin just lay there frozen made Edd doubt himself and worry that his fears had been realized, that he had just ruined a great friendship the likes of which he probably would never see again. Backing off he opened his mouth to ramble his apologies and hope that Kevin would forgive him while also thinking how best to lie to his mother about having to come home this late at night. Before he could utter a word Kevin’s hand is at the back of his neck pulling him in, clashing their lips together, the kiss was sloppy and rushed, both boys nervous as all hell each one was in new and unfamiliar territory. But Edd was none the less in heaven, Kevin tasted just as good as he looked, and he took the lead in the kiss slowing it down and making it gentler while fanning the flames of passion within it. He began exploring the jocks body with his hands as they kissed, each muscle that flexed as his body moved was a piece of artwork in motion, Michelangelo’s David in the flesh. Running his hand down his abs, he reaches the waist line of the sweats and finds that Kevin is already hard, taking hold he begins to stroke him through the fabric and in turn Kevin does the same to him. 

The night that was once cold had now became steamy and Edd could not find a way to cool himself down, eagerness and excitement takes hold of him and he throws back the covers giving Kevin a directive nudge to have him roll over on his back and gets down to business. Pulling down the front of Kevin’s sweats he takes the impressive piece into his mouth and begins to suck, feeling those big hands running through his hair and hearing the soft moans and gasps for breath excited Edd and drove him on to bring forth greater pleasure to the one he loved. Bucking gently into Edd’s mouth Kevin spilled his seed in his mouth and Edd was shocked, he had never tasted cum before and was not expecting it to be like this, getting out of bed he quickly and quietly runs to the bathroom to spit and rinse his mouth out. Returning to the bedroom he finds Kevin lying against the wall with his back facing Edd a pillow and blanket on the floor, and with this turn of events Edd knew that the coin had landed on tails.


	12. So the Boy Love is Perjured Everywhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is a quote from Midsummer’s Night Dream, the entire quote is “And therefore is Love said to be a child, Because in choice he is so oft beguiled. As waggish boys in game themselves forswear, So the boy Love is perjured everywhere. Which means that cupid (love) is depicted as a child because people in love like children make bad choices, and like children making games of lies so does love break its promises all the time.

The next morning Edd woke up to an awkward atmosphere, Kevin was already awake and in the kitchen having a bowl of cereal for breakfast, while his mother was busy getting ready for her work day. He timidly stepped into the kitchen and Kevin looks up to meet his eys, the expression on his face was unreadable, did he feel disdain for Edd or did he just not know who to react to the boy anymore? He returns his attention back to the bowl of cereal he was eating without greeting his friend, Edd could feel the tension in the air and tried to rectify the situation, “Good morning Kevin,” the jock grunted his acknowledgement that he had heard the teen as he put another spoonful of food into his mouth, “I hope you slept well.” Edd was desperately trying to patch up their relationship by showing Kevin that just because he made the bad choice of pursuing a romantic/sexual relationship with him that it didn’t have to mean the end of their friendship. But they both had to make an effort in repairing the damage done, because it takes two to tango after all. 

“I guess I did,” Kevin said dryly, Edd hadn’t moved from the doorway to the kitchen, and Kevin refused to make eye contact with him again. Each second of this made his heart drop a little, why did he have to be so stupid, he should have stuck to his original thought on the subject because deep down he knew that this was the way things were going to turn out. But he couldn’t help his naiveté, it was after all the first time he has ever felt like this for someone, and in hind sight he had to admit to himself that the road to finding love would have its share of potholes along the way, he just never expected to hit the grand canyon of potholes right out of the gate. 

“Can I give you a ride home?” Kevin’s mother asked as she placed her hand upon his shoulder gently to bring his attention to her as she wanted to get around him and into the kitchen.

“No thank you ma’am, I don’t live that far away, I can walk home,” Turning to leave, Edd refused to look in Kevin’s direction as he spoke, “I’ll see you around Kevin.”

Nor did Kevin look in his direction when he replied, “Yeah, see ya.” And with the flat unfeeling reply Edd quickly but calmly made his way out the door.

“What was that about,” Kevin’s mother asked as she could sense the tension in the room as soon as she had entered the kitchen, and the way that Edd had left was kind of off, if her son and the boy were friends if felt strained at the moment.

“I don’t know,” Kevin replied trying to avoid the topic as he put his bowl in the sink and left to go back upstairs to his room.

“You guys are friends right?” Kevin hummed his ascent, “You guys aren’t fighting are you?” He hummed his descent just trying to end the conversation quickly, he climbs the stairs rapidly trying to avoid any more questions on the subject, she calls up after him, “Well you could have at least acted like it and walked him to the door.” Kevin knew that she was right he was being childish, he did still like Edd and wanted to be his friend, but right now he was just feeling awkward about what happened and didn’t really know how to address the situation or process that he had in fact enjoyed what happened and had wanted it as well.

As Edd walked home the pain in his heart started to become overwhelming, why did he have to be so impulsive and reckless, why did he have to ruin everything between them. Kevin was smart funny kind and caring, showed genuine care and concern for him, wanted to be his friend for nothing more than he enjoyed Edd’s company and now he had thrown it all away and for what, love, well love can go fuck itself. Opening the door to his house, he heads up the stairs rather quickly, as his mother called after him asking if he had a good time last night, he calls down to her with a “Yeah,” to keep her from nagging him about his night then heads into his parent’s room to watch a little TV in privacy. Turning the channel to MTV he plops on the bed listening to the music trying to drown out his own thoughts, halfway listening to songs like REM’s Man on the Moon, Guns and Roses November Rain and Michael Jacksons Remember the Time. He would occasionally turn his head to watch a video on the small TV, and it was one of those times that he did that Annie Lennox’s Little Bird was playing, and as Edd watched the different people on the screen who were dressed as Annie at different stages of her carrier, he noticed that some of these people were men dress in drag.

Jumping up off the bed he gets closer to the screen to confirm his suspicions, low and behold at least three or four of them were in fact drag queens or they might be it was really hard to tell for him with all the flashing lights and quick camera changes. But if it was true, it was a good feeling for him, for there was so little in the way of positive representation of being gay in the media, the only things he can remember when he was younger that even hinted that gay people existed was Klinger on MASH and Divines performance in Hairspray. And in all honesty Klinger wasn’t that positive of a role model to begin with, so he would take what he could get from where he could get it. This little four minute video at least made him feel a little less alone in the world, and gave him something to look forward to when he hit eighteen and could have a little more freedom to be who he truly was. Damn it, if only he had recorded this, for who knew when the next time he would see it again. 

A gentle knock at the open bedroom door draws his attention from the screen, his mother was standing there in the doorway with a mild concerned look on her face that she was trying her best to hide behind a smile. “Eddward, sweetie, have you had breakfast yet?” He shakes his head no, “Well I just made some blueberry pancakes, why don’t you come down and have some.” He lets out a sigh and turns off the TV, he knows she is just going to ask him why he was upset and lord knows he didn’t want to tell her the reason. As he stood up and walks past her she places a hand on his shoulder and it was very comforting for him, but when he feels this way about his sexuality he gets this nagging thought in the back of his head that wonders how she would feel about him if she knew who he truly was and that thought always hurt him. Heading downstairs and through the living room into the kitchen he pulls a plate from the cabinet and sits at the table putting a couple of pancakes on to his plate then pours syrup upon them as his mother makes him a cup of Earl Grey tea. Sitting the cup down by his plate she takes the seat beside him and brushes his bangs way from his forehead as she looks at his face as he chewed his food, “Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

Rolling his eyes a little because he knew this was coming he swallows his food and replies, “No,” before taking a drink of his tea.

She furrows her brows, “It might make you feel better.”

Flustered that she was obviously not going to let this go along with the fresh wound to his heart he lets it all out in a agitated tone, “How is it going to make me feel better?” Talking about made him think about it which in turn made the fresh scare on his heart burn, “How is talking about it going to make the pain of liking someone who obviously doesn’t like you back the same way, go away?”

“Did some girl break my baby boy’s heart?” 

“Yes mother, a girl,” He said sarcastically, actually wanting to scream out no it was a boy who did it, and throw a world class temper tantrum in the process of letting out his frustrations, but where would that get you in the long run. But his vision did begin to blur with the tears that filled his eyes, he struggled to keep them from falling as best he could.

She could see him struggling with the tears and being slightly embarrassed at being so emotional he turns his face away from her and cups his chin in his right hand covering his quivering mouth with his fingers. “There’s going to be others, trust me,” she says trying to comfort and reassure him that not all was lost.

“I feel like such an idiot,” he was losing the fight with the tears at this point, “I kissed them and now they won’t even look at me.” He didn’t want to tell her the rest of it being his mother and all, but to him that kiss last night was a very deep expression of his love for Kevin, and now it felt as though the red head had discarded it like trash.

She pulls him in for a hug and comforts him by rubbing his back and shoulders as he silently lets a few tears fall, “Shhh, I know, it hurts but they’re not worth it if they can’t see how special you are.” She didn’t know what to do to make this pain go away for her son but she was going to do her best, “You’ll find someone that will steal your heart one day, and they will treasure it and nurture it and give you theirs in return, and from that love you start a family of your own, and you will have so much love for one another, you won’t know what to do with all that love.” He sobbed at these words, and she kissed the top of his head. For he knew that she meant well, but his general thought process on what she said was as follows, that because he is gay he will never have kids, that because he is gay he can never get married, and because he is gay the love that he would have for someone would be forever seen as unnatural and the work of evil. The two of them stayed like that for a few minutes until Edd finally calmed down and got a good cry out of his system, they finished their breakfast and spent the rest of the morning longing around, Edd all cozy under a blanket on the couch, drinking Earl Grey and watching a Star Trek TOS marathon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief,  
> That can denote me truly. These indeed 'seem,'  
> For they are actions that a man might play:  
> But I have that within which passes show,  
> These but the trappings and the suits of woe.  
> Hamlet Act 1 Scene 2


	13. What is Pyramus? A Lover, or a Tyrant?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I chose the title to represent Kevin’s indecision. Warnings: Language (Eddy’s mouth) and homophobic language (yet again Eddy’s mouth)

Edd spent Sunday with his friends, just hanging around at the local arcade playing the new Mortal Kombat game that was just released that month. With only seven playable characters to choose from, people were lining up with their quarters in hand to rip their friend’s heads off, literally. With all the hype and controversy surrounding the game its success was guaranteed "So where's shovelchin at today?" Eddy asked as he froze Edd's character just in time to stop the chain spear from hitting him.

"I really do not know," Edd replied as he countered Edd's jump attack with a roundhouse, "We’re not joined at the hips Eddy, he is free to do what he wants."

“So your having a lovers spat,” Eddy laughed trying to fluster his friend with his remarks.

Edd responded by teleporting his character behind Eddy’s landing a blow, a chain spear GET OVER HERE finished with an uppercut, “I really don’t appreciate your implications Eddy.”

"I’m just saying that the two of you have been inseparable since you started hanging out," an uppercut and Shang Tsung announced that Eddy had won and could now Finish Him in big red letters. Edd pulls his beanie down over his eyes in frustration and disbelief. A few quick slaps of the joystick and a button push and an ominous musical chime is heard, Edd peaks out from under his beanie just in time to see sub zero ripping scorpions head right off his shoulders, he holds it up proudly with the spine dangling underneath.

"Where did you learn that?" Edd said looking at his character that now lay on the floor bleeding as Shang Tsung's voice pronounced victory with a Fatality.

"GamePro," Eddy said wagging his eyebrows at his friend, "They have all the fatalities and moves listed."

Edd felt slighted, he knew he should have read that article before coming here today but with his attention elsewhere he had totally forgot. Ed quickly took his place, “My turn, my turn,” and divvied up his quarters to challenge Eddy to a quick game, choosing Liu Kang, and Eddy chose Kano this time, big Ed kept Eddy on the ropes but met the same fate as Double D as Kano ripped Liu Kang’s heart out. Eddy was finally defeated the next match by an older teen who, in Eddy’s opinion, got a lucky hit in at the last second. Another hours worth of game play and the boys were out of money, using the payphone outside they called Ed’s mother to come and get them, on the way down to Ed’s house the boy’s had decided to have a horror movie marathon since it was getting so close to Halloween. Arriving at the home the three friends entered the house and a loud, “ED, keep it down,” was heard from the living room, Ed’s little sister Sarah and her friend Jimmy were watching the TV and apparently the three of them entering the house was too much noise for her to stand. Edd and Eddy headed into the kitchen to get sodas and popcorn before heading down into their friend’s basement bedroom, Big Ed spent a moment barking back at his sister, Double D was glad that he was finally standing up to her and putting his foot down.

After his mother broke up the miniature feud between siblings Ed joined his friends down in the basement, “Hey guys I got a new movie.” Holding up the VHS box to display it to his friends, Eddy quickly snatches it and peruses the back description, but not reading very far, “Mom says it’s a classic Halloween movie.”

Eddy begins to read the back to them, “A sinfully twisted salute to horror, sci-fi, B-movies and rock music- a sensual daydream to treasure forever.” He flips the box back over and looks at the front cover, “Well it has horror in the title, so it can’t be that bad.” 

Taking the movie back Ed unsheathes it from its case, “Mom says the crowed dressed up and everything at the theaters,” he inserts the movie and turns on his TV then hits play. The three of them positioned themselves in their usual spots, Ed in the recliner, Eddy on a bean bag chair and Double D lying on the floor with a pillow. They start to eat the popcorn as a pair of lipstick clad lips begins to sing the opening number of the credits.

“I got something you can put in that mouth,” Eddy remarked and Ed snickered. 

Edd just looked at his two friends marveled at their level of immaturity, and as the cast list was rolled he noticed that there were several really good actors in the movie, it must have been their first movie he thought to himself. As the lips disappeared and the next scene hit the boys could tell that yes indeed it was a B movie, but as the next musical number hit Eddy was in a tizzy “What the fuck lumpy, a musical really, you buy a god damn musical.”

“Eddy quiet down and give it a chance,” Edd quickly retorted and returned his attention to the screen.

“Fuck that shit.”

Edd turns on him quickly and points his finger at his friend, “Look here mister, I have put up with a lot of your bad movie choices over the years, so you will do me the favor and sit there quietly and give this a chance.”

Looking at Big Ed he loudly spits out, “Fuck, of course the god damn music man over here would be into it.” Ed just shushed him and pushed his friend out of his face, he was also interested in seeing the movie, B grade movies being his thing after all, who cared if it had singing in it.

But twenty minutes later when Tim Curry flings off the cape and presented himself in a corset high heels and fishnet stockings Eddy had had enough and gets up ejecting the tape from the VCR, “That’s it, I draw the line at that faggy shit right there.” He drops the movie unceremoniously upon the table and begins to peruse through the movies on the shelf for something more normal.

“I’m sorry D, I tried,” Ed said looking down at his friend, they both knew once Eddy got like this there was no stopping him. But what did the big guy mean by the “I tried” bit, was it that he tried to include something Edd would like, being musicals, or was it something else. Edd knew that his friend was very perceptive, which was one of his biggest fears regarding his homosexuality, that Ed would eventually figure it out and innocently let it slip to Eddy and thus Eddy would drop him like a rock and convince Big Ed to do so as well. 

Eddy puts in a new movie and hits play and the familiar music of the opening credits as a man ran for his life told D that he was doomed to watch “I was a teenaged zombie hooker” for the hundredth time. At least the second movie of mutated werewolf zombies from outer space was a change of pace and the last movie of the evening was C.H.U.D. (Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller) which put the time at seven o’clock. Ed’s mom opens the door and calls down to them telling the boys it was time to for them go home so Ed could eat his dinner, Eddy shuffles up the stairs first and as Edd was beginning to make his way up Big Ed grabs his wrist gently and places a tape in his hand. “Let me know how it is,” Edd looks down and sees that it was the Rocky Horror Picture Show that was placed in his hand, “And maybe we can watch together sometime, without loud mouth that is,” Edd couldn’t help the feeling of happiness that filled him and also showed up as a smile that lit his face.

He hugs his friend, “Thank you Ed.”

“Woo dude, it’s just a movie,” but he gives the boy a hug in return then release him and pulls back smiling at his friend, for it made him feel good to make his friend happy, “Now get going before mom murders me.” Edd climbs the stairs and exits the house making the short trip to his own home, stashing the video in his room, hopefully somewhere his parents wouldn’t find it, an irrational fear of giving them clues driving his actions. He headed downstairs and had dinner with his parents before retiring for the evening and doing something so uncharacteristic of himself, he waited for his parents to go to bed and fall sound asleep before sneaking back downstairs with the movie in hand. He knew it was a school night and he should be getting his required eight hours of sleep so he could be fresh and alert for the day of learning, but he was so eager to see this new treasure that he had acquired. Turning the volume down as low as he could get it while still being able to hear what the actors were saying, he sat glued to the TV as the drama and mayhem unfolded, with one beautifully energetic song after another. Ending tragically however, in a Romeo and Juliette style, the creature having sacrificed himself for the love he felt for his maker, brought a tear to Edd’s eye. 

The next morning Edd was regretting his choice of staying up so late, but still felt it was so worth it, halfway tempted to just give his parents an excuse and fake an illness so he could skip school today. Not having the energy to get out of bed let alone the desire of see the red headed jock ignore him, why couldn’t have things worked out better between them, why did Kevin have to act like this? Having little choice in his attendance today as his mother passed his room again and called in, “Get up mister, you’re going to miss the bus,” he rolls out of bed and makes his way into the bathroom to get ready for his long day. I’ll just nap in study hall he thought to himself as he brushed his teeth, and yet again another uncharacteristic move from him, but once couldn’t hurt could it. Getting out of the shower he dries himself quickly and dresses for the day which included his beanie once again, he runs down the stairs and grabs several pieces of toast and a box of juice to eat on his way to the bus stop.

Running quickly to the stop he was once again the last person there, Eddy looks up at him as he approaches, “Hey Sockhead, you’re making a habit out of this.”

“Ooo, buttered toast,” Ed says and snatches a piece from his friend and quickly gobbles it down. It didn’t take long for the bus to arrive after he showed up, and as they loaded into the vehicle Ed, who was behind Double D, asks, “So how was it?”

Edd looks over his shoulder and replies, “I quite enjoyed it, thank you again Ed.”

“No problem Double D, what are friends for?” They sat down and talked amongst themselves about the upcoming holiday and what their plans were going to be, should they crash one of the older teens parties or would Kevin and Nat be kind enough to invite them to one? What would they wear as a costume, should they do a group costume or individually come up with something. Edd had an idea what he wanted to do, but gave up on it quickly for it wouldn’t be socially expectable for him to do it regardless of who he said he was, Ed was working on how best to do a mutated werewolf zombie and Eddy wanted to do a classic gangster, so at least one of the questions was answered. Arriving at school they entered the lunchroom and walked to their normal spot, Edd looked around as they walked and saw Kevin sitting with Nazz and Nat at the popular kids table, so another one of his questions was answered and his hopes that just maybe Kevin would have gone back to acting normal was dashed against the rocks. Nat casually waved in his direction, Kevin seeing the action looked up and locked eyes with Edd, and for a moment Edd could have sworn he saw a sadness in those eyes, like the jock wanted to come over to him and say something but didn’t know how to. Nat looked at his friend and shook his head, he didn’t know exactly what was going on but he could guess and from that guess knew that Kevin was being an idiot.


	14. The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Ay me! For aught that I could ever read, Could ever hear by tale or history, The course of true love never did run smooth. But either it was different in blood—Or else misgraffèd in respect of years” A Midsummer’s Night Dream Act 1 Scene 1. Which means in all the tails they have ever read love never did came easy, either the lovers were in different social status’ or there was an age difference, it goes on to give more reasons but those two fit the lovers I am portraying here best.

Kevin had been sitting in the lunch room surrounded by people who he was suppose to be associated with, the jocks, cheerleaders and popular cliché. He was currently half heartedly listening to Nazz go on and on about the Halloween party she was going to throw this coming up weekend, and why she was doing it the week before the holiday. “So like my parents are going to be out of town so it’s the perfect time to have it,” She paused for a brief moment looking for a hint of approval from him, but all she got was Kevin sitting there with his chin resting in the palm of his hand looking off into the distance. Not getting what she wanted she continued, “And the following weekend all the kids from the area will be coming to the door looking for candy, and of course my parents will be right there passing it out, so it’s the only time I can have it, you see.”

She pauses again and this time Kevin noticed the stop and replies, “MMhmm that’s good.” 

She was flustered, but not giving up, “So you’re coming then?”

Kevin caught that part a little clearer than the rest of the conversation and answered her, all be it unenthusiastically, “Sure, wouldn’t miss it.” Out of the corner of his eye he sees Nat waving his hand at someone, pulling his eyes away from a very interesting section of table he had been staring at he looks in the general direction his friend was looking in and sees Edd returning the wave. Their eyes briefly lock and Kevin’s heart plummets, Edd’s eyes looked so sad at that very moment, and his heart told him that he had better get off his ass and go over there and talk to the dork, that there was nothing to really fear.

Nat shacks his head at his friend, knowing full well that he was being an idiot about something and he had a good idea what it was, “So what the hell happened between you and Double Delinquent over there?”

“Nothing happened between us,” Kevin replied and Nat’s interest was piqued, if nothing truly happened then a no would have been sufficient, answering this way simply meant something did happen but he didn’t want to talk about it.

“Did you two have an argument?”

“No.”

“Were you and asshole to him?”

Kevin took a moment to think about it but decided to answer, “No.”

Leaning his head on his friends shoulder with his hands clasped together while batting his eyes, “What did you kiss him,” puckering up his lips he kissed the air a few times, “and now can’t figure out how to handle the situation?”

The side glance Kevin gave him told Nat all he needed to know, Kevin shrugs him off his shoulder and replied, “No Nat, nothing like that.”

“Whatever bro,” Nat leans back into his seat and crosses his arms, “Go ahead and keep it a secret, see if I care.” Kevin gets the distinct feeling that he is being looked at and turns his eyes away from Nat and in the direction where Edd was sitting, the boy was busy talking to his friends and putting on a happy face, though his eyes told a different story. Still getting that feeling he turns his head a little further and down the table he was sitting at. A few seats down from him sat Tim, who was staring in his direction challengingly, as one of his lackeys was looking in the direction of Edd and laughing to himself. The jackals have apparently sensed that the alpha male was away from the weaker members of the pack for whatever reason, and were now circling the cub, ready to strike.

Nat saw the display between the two, “So are we going to nip this in the bud now?”

Kevin’s heart said yes get your ass out there right now and reassert to this dumbass that he had better not lay one fucking finger upon Edd if he knew what was good for him. His mind on the other hand was stock full of fears on what other’s would do or say if they figured out what happened between them over the weekend, and he didn’t want to risk the image of his masculinity and be branded a limp wristed queer. “No, the boy has to learn to take care of himself,” and his heart plummeted once again at his own words, why was his heart aching though, they were just friends that made a mistake and did something that they shouldn’t have. 

The bell rings to begin the day and Nat stands, “You know what, you just need to grow up and get over it already.” 

“Come on Nat, don’t be like that”

Nat took in a deep breath and massaged the bridge of his nose, “I’m not being like anything,” He starts toward the hall with Kevin following beside him, “I’m not the one who is allowing a friend to get beat up by some punks.”

“If he keeps relying on me he will never be able to stand on his own two feet.”

“So you’re plan this whole time was to piss Tim off and then abandon Edd?” They stop in front of Nat’s locker and he begins to dial in the combination.

“No it wasn’t like that,” Both of their attentions were drawn to a loud bag, and find Eddy flipping the bird while yelling at a casually retreating Tim, as Ed helped Double D pick up his books from the floor.

“Well that is exactly what it’s like now,” opening his locker he pulls some books from it, “Tim is testing Edd’s defenses now, and if you don’t do something about it he’s going to make that boys life hell, just like Edd tried to tell you the first time you stepped in.” Seeing the muscles in Kevin’s jaw contract as he gritted his teeth he decided to push a little more, “So you have two choices as I see it, step up to the plate and keep him safe like you said you were going to do, or be a little bitch, stand there and watch someone you care about get hurt, and for what your reputation.” Nat closes his locker door and walks by him to head to his first class but pauses as they were shoulder to shoulder, “Hypocrite.” 

He takes a few steps forward, but noticed that Kevin wasn’t moving, so he figured that he must have hit a few of the right buttons, stopping one finally time he turns and gets his friend attention by calling out to him, “Kevin, I’ll watch over him for now, so you go ahead and take the day to think about what I said, ok.” Kevin nods, thankful that Nat was his friend and didn’t hold back when it came to calling out his bull shit, now he just needed to figure out what to do.

Over the course of the day Nat did what he said he would do and kept a watchful eye on the dork, he had a good feeling what was going on between the two of them but had no real proof. The day ticked by slowly and at ever change of class Nat would see Edd walking down the hall with his two friends close beside him, which was a blessing in on itself, Tim would be less likely to try anything with the three of them grouped together, to many witnesses and possibilities to account for. Finally lunch came along, Nat was famished and made his way toward the lunchroom, the halls were practically empty except for a few straggler here and there who were all in a rush to get their government approved and nutritionally balanced meal. Turning the corner he sees movement out of the corner of his eye in the direction of the secluded corner of the now empty stairwell, probably some kid skipping class to go smoke under the football bleachers he thought to himself. That is until he heard the quiet but harsh words being said then the sound of flesh smacking against flesh, an all too familiar voice whining at the impact, the bullies were trying to keep the noise down as to not draw unwanted attention to themselves. He slowly walks forward to try and ascertain how many people were in there, and whether or not he had a chance against them, he knew he could take Tim with no problems, but if he had three or four of his buddies with him that was different story, but he would give it his all none the less.

“So what did you do huh, try and grab his dick?” Tim grabs a handful of Edd’s hair and pulls back violently making the dork look him in the eye, his beanie was already laying on the floor along with his books, from where Tim had forcefully pushed him into the stairwell and had knocked it off of his head. He smacks him hard in the face and when Edd’s head jerks from the impact the hair in Tim’s hand is pulled even harder, “Or did he finally realize that you’re a pole puffing queer.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Edd said with a hint of furry in his eyes from being mistreated so.

Nat peaks around the corner and sees that it is just Tim with only one friend, “I think you did,” Tim states, he was so sure he was correct about Edd, “You see that’s why you faggots can’t be friends with normal people, you’re addicted to cock, you need it, you just can’t help yourselves. And now that Barr is no longer saving your ass I’ll teach you the lesson you so rightfully deserve.”

“And who said that they weren’t friends anymore?” Tim and Lucas both turn around to see Nat casually leaning against the door frame. “Just because Kevin has been busy today does not mean their friendship is over, you assume too much Timmy.”

“And what does it matter to you Goldberg,” Tim Spits out.

“Nothing really, but,” Nat points to something behind Tim, the boy turns just in time to see a book coming down in his face, Edd brings back his foot and swings wracking the bully in the family jewels sending him tumbling to the ground. 

Lucas forgetting about Nat went to take a swing at Edd but before he could begin the forward motion of his fist his arm was grabbed by Nat and he was spun around to face the teal haired boy. Nat readies his fist and Lucas crumpled bringing his hands up to protect himself he squealed, “Don’t hurt me.”

“As I thought,” Nat said and let go of the boys arm, Lucas taking the chance ran for it. Nat beckons to the boy, “Come on Edd lets go,” and he hops over Tim’s groaning body and exits the stairwell, Nat puts his arm around his shoulder and walks him down the hall toward the cafeteria, “Damn Edd, didn’t know you had it in ya.”

A panic hit Edd, what the hell is Tim going to do to him for wracked him, “I think I’m going to get sick.”

“Naw, you’re fine, it’s just the adrenaline working its way through your system,” Nat bumps his fist against Edd’s chin playfully, “I’m proud of ya, way to stand up to that asshole.” Almost to the cafeteria Nat releases his hold on Edd and puts a step between them, more of a curtsy to Edd then anything else. “Hey Edd,” Edd looks to the boy, “Did Kevin do something to hurt you this weekend?” Edd hesitated but said no, “Well did something happen that would cause him to act differently to you?” Again he hesitated but answered no, “Ok Double Delish you don’t have to tell me what’s going on if you don’t want to, but I just wanted to let you know that you can talk to me anytime about anything, I won’t judge you.”

“Thank you Nat, I appreciate that.”

“I mean it, your secrets are safe with me, doesn’t mean I won’t kick Kevin’s ass if he hurt’s you, he’ll just have to figure out why I’m doing it on his own.”

Nat made a few comical jabs with his fists which made Edd laugh a little, “Thank you, I’m glad that you’re still my friend Nat.”

“Why wouldn’t I be,” Nat said as though this was a very silly thought for such an intelligent person to have, “Just because he’s being an idiot and not talking to you doesn’t mean I’ll follow behind him blindly and do the same, you’re a good kid, you just continue being you and it will all work out, you’ll see.” Nat spent that lunch period with the three Ed’s, choosing to ignore his friend in hopes that it would spur the idiot into coming over and joining them. But as usual Kevin can have a thick head at times and he didn’t catch on to the hint and thus spent his lunch listening to Nazz yet again go on about her party that coming weekend.


	15. Love Looks Not With the Eyes, But With the Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind. And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. This has always meant to me that true love can cross the border of gender and sexuality (i.e. a gay man falling for a woman or a straight man falling for a guy) that it has no concept of your age religion race origin or what society deems as beauty. That loves only true concern is how your souls sing to one another and how your hearts dance to the melody. Rave belongs to KirKurryArt/Eyugho

The day had ended and Kevin’s time to think things over was up in Nat’s opinion, not that he could force Kevin to do anything he didn’t want to do, but Nat would make Kevin’s life a living hell if he didn’t at least apologize for being an ass. But that’s the thing, Kevin didn’t see that he had done anything wrong, excuse him if he freaked out because he has never been attracted to guys before, wouldn’t you, for not only did he discover that he liked what went on between them but he wanted it to happen again. This revelation has flipped his world upside down and he was trying to right it again, he wasn’t trying to hurt Edd’s feelings, he just needed time to make sense of this new part of himself that he had never even knew was there. Was he still attracted to girls? Yes he discovered that he was indeed still attracted and aroused by them. Now boys he did admit that he found some of them attractive but he just couldn’t wrap his mind around looking at them sexually, maybe it was still a new concept and subconsciously he was still fighting it, who knows. But he was trying and that’s all anyone could ask for, right, now he needed to figure out how he really felt about Edd, and there was only one person he could bounce these thoughts off of and knew would not judge him or would tell anyone else about it, Nat.

As luck would have it Nat was on to the same conclusion that Kevin was, that he needed to talk to the red head and help him figure this out, if nothing more than to put right what had been damaged between the two. Nat leans against the wall of lockers beside his friend, as Kevin was exchanging the books he needed to take home for the evening, “Hey,” Kevin acknowledged Nat’s greeting, “Are you free?”

“Yeah I’ve got a few hours before I need to get home, what’s up?”

“I just thought we could hang out and expand our minds,” Nat made a little twisting motion with his fingers as though he was rolling a joint.

“Dude, you read my mind,” Kevin grabbed his jacket and closed his locker door then followed his friend out to the parking lot and toward his car. A short drive while listening to White Zombie’s Thunder Kiss ‘65 and they are parking in Nat’s driveway, getting out of the car the two of them enter the modest home and head up the stairs to his room, locking the door behind them. 

Extracting a small tin from his closet Nat plops down on his bed and opens it and then begins to break apart the buds, separating the seeds and stems from it, Kevin sits in the bean bag chair on the floor. He picks up a cassette from his night stand and throws it to Kevin, “Dude put that on,” examining the cover he sees that it was Stone Temple Pilots new album Core, putting it in the stereo he hits play and the first song of the album begins, Dead & Bloated. Licking the paper he puts the final twist on the joint and puts it in his mouth then lights an incense and places it by the door to cover the smell, sitting on his bed again he opens the window just a crack as well then lights the joint. Taking a big drag off of it he inhales the smoke and holds it then passes it to Kevin, exhaling he leans back on the bed and groans a little as the drug took on a mild effect. “So now that we are alone tell me what’s up between you and D.”

Kevin inhaled his hit and passes the joint back to his friend, taking the few seconds of holding the smoke in to think about what to say, but came up short, “Where do I start,” he wanted to talk about it but his nerves were running wild on him.

“You fucked him didn’t you,” Nat said casually then took his hit.

“No,” Kevin replied matter-of-factly.

“It’s alright if you did, there’s nothing wrong with it,” He passed the joint back to Kevin.

“Why do you think we had sex,” Kevin takes his hit.

“Because I could tell Edd was gay the first moment I laid eyes on him, and you were being really clingy,” Nat takes the joint back and takes his hit.

“So based on that the obvious answer is we had sex,” Kevin replied while trying to hold the smoke in.

“Survey says,” Nat says while pointing to the wall and then making a ding sound, he looks down at his friend while taking a second hit and sees the conflict in Kevin’s eyes. Passing the joint back to him he then exhales and adds, “Look bro its cool ok, I just want you to know I understand what you’re going through, I’ve been there.”

Kevin looks at Nat with a scrunched up face for a second and says in a low voice, “Really,” then takes his hit.

“Yeah, do you think I tell you all my sexual encounters?” Sliding off the bed he sits on the floor so he was more eye level with his friend and retrieves the joint from Kevin. “Sure it freaked me out at first, but I came to realize that it doesn’t change who you are or what you like, you know,” he takes his hit.

“Yeah I never had a clue,” The joint was all but done now and the next song of Sex Type Thing was blaring through the speakers.

“Well just because you suck a dick or get yours sucked doesn’t mean you instantly change, and stereotypes are just ignorant people labeling things they don’t understand.” Nat pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lights one, “So do you like the boy?”

“I don’t know,” Kevin rubbed the back of his neck, “I will admit that I think he is funny, smart and yes, very handsome, but I am just so confused on whether it’s like as in friends or like as in more than that.”

“Oh, so he is fair game then and you won’t have a problem with me snatching him up and showing him what a real relationship is like then,” Nat wagged his brows at his friend and had a wicked grin plastered upon his face.

Kevin’s heart stopped for a second and it was evident on his face, “Don’t you fucking dare,” he points his finger at Nat with a very serious look in his eyes.

“I think we have our answer folks,” Nat gives Kevin’s foot a gentle kick to emphasize he was messing with him.

“So what do I do now,” Now that he had his answer he was stuck on how to fix the situation between them.

“You know the answer to that Kevin, you go to him and apologize, then explain that you’re an idiot and if he is half as smart as we know he is he will understand,” Nat was right it was as simple as that, ‘Doesn’t mean he will forgive you right away for being an jackass but you have to take that first step if you want to salvage your friendship let alone anything else.”

“Ok cool, Hey,” Kevin looks at Nat with eyes that spoke a thousand words of appreciation, “Thanks man, you’re a lifesaver,” Now that his mind was a little more at ease with himself he did have one curious question, “So do you mind if I ask you wh..”

“Thirteen,” He saw the look of shock in Kevin’s eyes, “He was sixteen and totally hot, at the time I thought I wanted to hang around him because he was cool but one thing lead to another…”

“James, you slept with James Castellanos, I always wondered why the two of you stopped hanging out, you were inseparable for so long.” It’s funny how things make sense once you have a few more facts Kevin thought.

“What can I say, he couldn’t handle what I was supplying,” Nat felt a pull at his heart, “Now let’s stop talking about it ok, it was a long time ago and best left in the past.”

“Sure man, no problem,” Feeling as though he just stepped on a landmine he shouldn’t have Kevin dropped the subject.

“Do you want to watch Star Trek?” Nat said trying to changed the subject.

“Sure, though I didn’t think you were into it, being all geeky and all.”

“What can I say, the little guy is rubbing off on me,” Nat stands up and turns on the TV changing it to the appropriate channel, “He explained why he likes it so much at lunch today, something about social commentary and all, so I though what the hell let’s give it a shot.”

And in there buzzed state of mind they sat back and enjoyed the episode together, it was a rerun from earlier that year. The Enterprise encountered an alien race called the J'naii, they are a race that has no gender, the J’naii ask for assistance in finding a missing shuttle craft that got lost in a pocket of null space. Along the way the first officer Riker becomes romantically evolved with one of the J'naii by the name of Soren. This particular member of the species has always felt like she was female and over the course of the show Riker learns that it is extremely taboo in her culture to display any form of gender identity, the norm was to stay neutral and anyone who displayed signs of being one gender or another was sent off to a facility that would correct their misguided nature. The show culminates in a trial in which Soren is found guilty for her “perversion” and sent to be reeducated in the proper way of things. For Kevin the show taught him one thing that we are what god intended us to be, that there is nothing wrong with us and nothing to feel guilty about. Society was the ones currently misguided and hopefully would learn the errors of their ways in time, and maybe become better people for it.

Noticing the time Kevin thanks Nat once again for helping him sort himself out, the teal haired boy was of course happy to do so, giving his friend a ride home he drops him off at the corner, “Just promise me your going to talk to him, he deserves that much.”

“I promise Nat,” He waves goodbye to his friend and starts up the walk to his front door, he was determined not only to ask for forgiveness but hopefully get a second chance with Edd. For not only did he learn to accept this part of himself a little better, but that he did in fact want more than friendship from the boy that filled his thoughts. The journey of self discovery was going to be a long one for Kevin, but hopefully with Edd by his side it would at least be a little easier, and for certain a lot more fun. Heading up to his room he grabs a bunch of tapes off of his shelf and a blank cassette and began searching for songs he thought would best express himself to the one he needed his feelings to come across to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Star Trek episode featured in this chapter is called The Outcast it was aired in march of 1992, and for me personally was a strong massage that we are all humans no matter who you love or how you identify yourself, we all love laugh and live and that we all deserve to be treated the same. And coming from that time period it was a really edgy subject to be addressed, though it ended badly for Soren the massage got through to me.


	16. What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks?

Edd arrived home after an excruciatingly long bus ride, the bus getting stopped at the train tracks waiting on a passing train, then having to wait as a parent had a long conversation with the driver about her son getting bullied on her bus, all this put them way behind schedule. His only comfort was sitting with his two friends, chatting about the newest release of the X-men comics and all the twists and turns that had taken place within its latest story line. Entering his house he heads up to his room to do his homework before his two friends would inevitably come over to play video games or drag him somewhere to partake in whatever "adventure" they could get into. Finishing up his algebra 1 homework he begins his world history assignment when he hears the front door open and his mother's voice, "Eddward, are you home?"

Leaning back in his chair and facing the door he responds, "I'm upstairs doing my homework." 

He hears her rummaging around at the base of the stairs as she put her coat up, "That's my good boy, I expect A's on your report card."

"Yes mother," Edd said quietly to himself and returns to his work. Twenty minutes later his father comes into the house and he hears his parents greeting each other in the hallway, then his father coming up the stairs.

Popping his head in the room he asks, "Getting it whipped sport?"

Edd sighed at the nickname then answered, "Yes father I am, as you say, whipping it."

His father leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed, "We're going out to eat and I was wondering if you cared to join us?"

Edd sits his pen down and turns his head slightly to face his father, "Actually I should probably finish this, I have a quiz in biology tomorrow."

Edd's father drops his arms and pushes off the door frame, "I understand sport," he comes over and pats his son on the shoulder, "Say hi to the boys for me," and he leaves the room and heads back down stairs.

"Is he not coming," Edd could hear his mother ask.

""He's at that age you know," his father replies and Edd could hear them getting ready to leave.

"Eddward, honey we'll bring you something back," his mother called up, "but if you get hungry before we come home there's lunch meat in the fridge, I love you." The door opens and he hears them walk out and the door close behind them. 

Edd continues his homework for another twenty minutes before a knock at the door disturbed his concentration on his work. Closing his book he heads down the stairs and unlocks the door, opening it he is greeted by a big bear hug from Ed that sent the two of them tumbling to the ground. Regaining his composure after being knocked to the floor Edd pats his friend on the shoulder, “Greetings Ed, but could you please get off me.”

Eddy just steps over the both of them and heads toward the kitchen, Ed slowly gets up off the floor and reaches out his hand to help his friend up, “I’m sorry Double D, I got carried away.”

“No harm done Ed,” brushing himself off he closes the door and heads toward the kitchen with his friend in tow to find Eddy already rummaging through his refrigerator for snacks. With sandwiches chips and drinks in hand the three friends return to the living room to sit down and watch The Howling 2, it had just enough T and A for Eddy’s liking and the low budget horror film quality that the other two enjoyed, also having the talents of Christopher Lee in the movie was a big plus for the three Hammer House of Horror fans. They made their comments and jokes on each corny death scene and mocked the bad acting when it got absurdly bad and campy. 

But the fun was short lived for the three friends as Edd’s parents returned home midway through the film just in time to see the main villain, Stirba, popping some poor guy’s eyes out of his head using her voice. His mother scrunching up her face in disgust states, “I don’t think this is an appropriate movie for you young man.”

“Mom,” Edd whined, and his friends snickered a little that he was getting scolded for his movie choices.

“Don’t mom me,” She goes over to the VCR and shuts off the movie, removing the tape she asks, “Have you finished your homework yet?” 

“I’m almost done,” He replies knowing where this was going, his friends were already getting their things together and heading toward the door.

“You can see your friends tomorrow, now go eat your dinner then finish your homework,” She said while handing him the carry out bag they brought for him. Edd had a feeling that she was only being a stickler about his homework now because he used it as an excuse to stay home and not go out to dinner with them.

Taking the bag from her he walks his friends to the door, “My apologies, maybe we can finish it tomorrow over at Ed’s house.”

“Sure Sockhead, whatever,” Eddy replied and waved goodbye and headed down the road toward his house.

Ed had stayed behind for a few seconds, “Yeah just come over whenever you can tomorrow, and don’t forget to bring that movie you borrowed with you, we can ditch sourpuss and watch it if you want.”

“I will do my best to remember to bring it, though I feel bad about excluding Eddy,” Edd could hear his mother calling from behind reminding him about his homework.

“Ah he’ll get over it, well see ya Double D, you don’t want to keep mommy dearest waiting,” and with a small snicker Ed ran off to catch up with Eddy leaving Double D standing at the door. Going back inside he closes the door and marches up the stairs to his room closing the door behind him in hopes of not being disturbed. He sits and continues where he had left off studying for his biology test while picking at the food his parents brought him. Thirty minutes later and he is finished with the last of his homework, he checks the time and it was only a little after seven and he begins to wonder if his friends had finished that movie today and whether he should go over and see them.

Opening his bedroom door he was about to step out into the hallway when he hears Kevin’s deep voice, “Good evening Ma’am,” Edd stops in his tracks but perks up his ears.

“Hello…” Edd’s mother paused as she searched for the boys name in her memories, Kevin seeing her struggle with it politely gives it to her again, “Oh yes of course.”

“Is Edd here, ma’am?” Kevin asks and Edd’s heart skips a beat, why was he looking for him, didn’t he already make his intentions clear by ignoring him today.

“Yes he is but he is doing his homework right now,” thank you mother for the save Edd thought to himself, “and unfortunately cannot have visitors until he is finished.”

“Oh,” Kevin’s voice sounded a little defeated to Edd, “Can you give him this for me, he asked me to make it for him.”

“Sure dear, I’ll make sure he gets it.”

“Thanks,” Kevin pauses for a second, “Have a good evening ma’am.” 

“You too, Kevin,” and the door closes, Edd hears his mother walking up the stairs and he rushes back over to his desk and opens his book. A quick couple knocks on his open door and she steps in, “Your friend brought this over for you,” she places the cassette on his desk and retrieves the empty carry out bag. “We’re going to watch Roseanne soon, if you want to come down and watch it with us.”

“I’d like that, just let me finish up here first and I’ll be down shortly,” Edd replied as he picked up the tape and looked at the cover, it had one word on it, sorry.

“Do you want popcorn?”

“That would be nice.”

“Butter?”

“Yes please.”

She comes over and pushes back his beanie and kisses the top of his head, “I’m sorry I drove your friends off earlier.”

“It’s alright mother, I should have been studying,” he was intently studying the tape wondering what could be on it, his curiosity was piqued with that one word on the cover.

“Well come down when you’re ready,” she straightens his beanie once again and exits the room heading back downstairs to make the popcorn.

Standing he closes the door to his room once again and opens the tape, putting it in his stereo he hits play and the song The Promise from When In Rome starts to play, being an 80’s song it had the a typical sound of the decade and it kept with the theme that was written on the cover of the case. But the chorus was a little confusing, 

“I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say. (I promise) I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be. (I promise) But if you wait around a while, I'll make you fall for me, I promise you, I promise you I will.”   
Was he apologizing and just trying to be friends again or was he wanting to be more than that, Edd wasn’t sure if he wanted to take the risk and get hurt again. For what if this only meant friendship and he was taking the meaning the wrong way because he still had feelings for the red head. His mind was going in circles trying to ascertain the meaning of the tape, a small rock hits his window, but he didn’t notice until the second one hit, he looks over to see if he was just imagining things when I third one hits. He walks over and pushes back the curtains and sees Kevin in mid throw standing in his back yard, and as he reaches down to open the window the second song on the cassette starts to play, Only You by Yaz. 

“Looking from a window above, it's like a story of love, Can you hear me, Came back only yesterday, I'm moving further away, Want you near me” 

Poking his head out he tries to say quietly, “What are you doing?”

Kevin answers softly trying to keep Edd’s parents from noticing that he was there, “What does it look like I’m going?”

“All I needed was the love you gave, All I needed for another day, And all I ever knew, Only you.”

“My parents are going to see you,” It’s not that he cared if his parents saw Kevin he just didn’t know how to take this, “You should go.”

“Let them see me, let them chase me away, it would only make me want to see you more,” Kevin actually blushed that he was going to be this sappy about this, but he was thankful that it was dark out this early now and that Edd couldn’t see his checks reddening.

“I don’t know what cruel joke you’re playing but it isn’t funny.”

“It’s no joke I swear,” He didn’t blame Edd for being skeptical about his actions, “Do I have to go through all of Romeo’s lines to get my point across?”

“It would cheapen your intent if you can’t come up with your own words to speak your mind,” Edd replied in a mildly harsh tone. Kevin pondered for a moment rubbing the back of his neck as he thought of something to say, “Goodnight Kevin,” Edd said as he started to retreat back into his room.

“Your hair reminds me of the blackest night,” Edd paused to see where this was going, “Your eyes the stars that adorn it, your smile is the moon so bright, your laugh is lovelier then a nightingale singing of true love, your kiss sweeter then the ripest berry, your love is the fire that warms me, and if you give me another chance I promise I will adore you.” If Kevin’s face could get any redder at this moment he would be a beacon that could be seen from space.

“Is that all you came to say,” Edd was taken aback from the statement but didn’t know if he should just put himself out there so easily, still fearful that Kevin might hurt him again.

“No,” Kevin was desperate at this point, if Edd didn’t get the point of what he was trying to say what more could he do to get it across to him. “I wanted to say I’m sorry, you’re the first guy that I have ever fallen for.”

Edd hears his mother call for him, letting him know the show was starting, “I’ll be down in a minute,” Edd called over his shoulder, “I need to get going.”

“Wait just for a few more moments,” he needed to get his point across now, or he would lose his chance, “I was an idiot, I let my concerns for what others would say cloud my judgment and influence my actions. You didn’t deserve to be treated like that, and I hope you will understand that I regret how I acted.”

“Your forgive Kevin but I really must go,” Edd started to go back into his room again.

“Wait please,” Edd could hear the desperation in Kevin’s voice, “Can we try again,” though it was dark Kevin could see the look on Edd’s face, “Can you find it in your heart to give me a second chance?”

Edd took a moment to think about this, “Are you wanting to just be friends,” even with the earlier statement he had to ask straight out, he was going to protect his heart this time at least as best he could, “Or are you wanting more than that?”

“I would like more than friendship, but will honor whatever choice you make, if you decide we should just stay friends, I won’t lie it would hurt, but I will always be your friend.”

Edd’s mom calls to him again, Edd responds over his shoulder again, “Just a second,” then turns back to Kevin, “I really should be going, talk to me tomorrow at school and we can discuss where we stand.”

“Alright, I’ll see you then,” Kevin half heartedly smiled, “goodnight Edd.” He didn’t get a true answer but would wait as long as it took for Edd to make up his mind. 

“Goodnight Kevin,” Edd pulls his head back into his room and closes his window he turns off the radio and light then heads downstairs to watch TV with his parents.

Kevin watched the window until the light went out, then slowly walked to the gate and let himself out of the yard as quietly as he could and made his way home, parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.


	17. Who Ever Loved That Loved Not at First Sight

Edd wakes up early the next morning with nervous anticipation of meeting Kevin that day. Wondering when where and what they were going to talk about, it's not like they could talk openly in the lunchroom with all their friends around. Nor would it be easy for them to sneak off to talk in private somewhere, for there was always someone around that could easily over hear what they were saying. So maybe he should have made more of an effort to talk to the jock last night when he came over, and not squandered the opportunity, for who knew when the next time would come around that they could have some privacy. Getting ready on time he heads down and gets his breakfast of eggs toast and bacon then heads out to the bus stop. Back on his usual schedule he finds himself to be the first one there, sitting his book bag down on the ground he sits upon it and waits for his friends. Sitting there he returns to his thoughts, wondering what he should say to Kevin, whether he should let it return to the way it was or make him work for his affections.

Five minutes of pondering and he is brought out of his thoughts by a horn honking from across the street. Looking up he sees Nat waving him over from out of the driver’s side window and Kevin getting out of the passenger side to stand by the car and holler at him. "Hey Edd," he waves his right arm in a beckoning motion. Edd looks around feeling a little self-conscious, getting stared at by the few people who had arrived since had been sitting there. Mustering up his resolve and telling himself not to care that they were giving him a judgmental glare, he stands and retrieves his book bag from the ground and runs over to where Kevin stood. "We thought we would give you a ride," Kevin says as he opens the back door for Edd, "It's probably the only time we will get to talk freely today."

Edd looks in the car apprehensively then whispers to Kevin, "But what about Nat?"

"He knows," Kevin states with an embarrassed look on his face that he basically outed Edd to Nat, "I mean, who else was I going to talk to about this."

"It's cool Double Dangerous," Nat called out to him, "Didn't I tell you your secrets are safe with me."

Edd let out a sigh and climbed into the backseat, Kevin motions for him to scoot over and then climbs in with him. Putting the car in drive Nat hits the gas sending the car forward with tires squealing and a bellow of smoke behind them as they left. Kevin turns to face him and places his left arm on the back of the seat, "I've been thinking, maybe we should start from the beginning again, you know a fresh start."

Edd's checks went red, he has never talked openly about this to anybody, especially with a third party present. "I don't know Kevin, seems kind of pointless seeing as we already know each other."

"I just want you to know that I will do whatever it takes to win your trust again, that we stay friends for now, and you make the choice on whether or not we become more later on." Kevin looked very vulnerable at this moment, "I do hope you choose to become my boyfriend," Edd's heart skipped a beat at that word, “It would make me very happy."

"Believe me Edd, he means what he says," Nat chimed in and they both looked up to the front of the car. "You should have heard him last night on the phone when he got back from your house."

"Shut up Nat," Kevin lightly smacks him on the back of the neck.

Nat laughs it off and continues, "He was a blubbering mess, asking for advice on how to woo you," another smack to the back of the head, "Hey I'm driving here."

Turning back to Edd, Kevin laughs off Nat's remarks then becomes serious, "So what do you say, want to give it a shot." He extends his right hand to Edd, "Hello, I'm Kevin Barr it's a pleasure to meet you."

Edd laughs lightly at the gesture and takes Kevin's hand, "The pleasure is all mine Mr. Barr." Kevin smiles warmly at Edd then rustles his beanie a little with his left hand.

They sit in a comfortable silence for the remaining three minutes of the trip, Kevin wanting desperately to reach over and hold Edd's hand but he thought better about doing it, he could tell that keeping to just friends was going to be difficult. Parking the car in the schools parking lot Nat turns off the engine and faces the both of them, "So Edd, do you have any plans for this Saturday?" 

Edd shacks his head, "My friends might come up with some movie marathon or some form of Tom Foolery between now and then, but as of right now I do not."

"That's no fun,” Nat states, “Why don't you come with us," he motions to Kevin with his right hand, "Kevin here has been invited to Nazz's costume party, and she normally throws one hell of a party."

"Good call Nat, you should come," Kevin secretly thank the gods for Nat being his friend.

"I don't know," Edd responded apprehensively, "What about my friends." It truly was more about the people who might be attending the party then leaving his friends behind.

"Bring them with," Kevin responded quickly then changed the subject, "So do you have a costume idea that we might theme as a group?" Edd had an idea but he wasn't sure if it would go over well at that party, leaning forward he whispered it in Kevin's ear. "That's perfect, and I know who I will go as then."

"What," Nat looks between the two of them wanting an answer, getting nothing but their smiling faces he asks again, ”Would somebody tell me what the hell I am going as already."

"Oh you'll see," Kevin said with a wicked grin upon his face, "Nat are you free after school, we need to take a trip."

"Why, where are we going?" His curiosity was boiling over now and it was easily read upon his face.

"Don't worry about it, I'll get you gas money, just trust me." Kevin opens the door and exits the vehicle followed by his friend and future boyfriend.

"I don't know Barr, anytime you say trust me I am in for some shit." Kevin just waved his concerns off and the three of them made their way into the school building. 

They walk into the lunchroom to wait for the morning bell and Edd gets the usual glare from Tim, but he ignores it, holding his head up high and marching past the dim boy. Finding his friends he takes a seat, “Where the hell were you Sockhead, we though you skipped,” Eddy said rather loudly but only gives an “oh,” when Kevin and Nat sit down on either side of him.

“Yeah we had something’s to talk about,” Kevin states rather matter-of-factly.

“Oh had to make up after the lovers spat,” Eddy says in a snide manner.

“Eddy I wish you would give that joke a rest, Kevin and I are merely friends,” Nat gives a little contained laugh that earned him a glare from Kevin.

“Yeah Eddy,” Kevin begins giving him a look that told him to back off his friend, “We were just making plans,” a kick under the table from Edd to Kevin’s foot, Eddy noticed and Edd just smiles playing it off.

“Plans,” Eddy’s interest was piqued, could he have invited Edd to the party at Nazz’s?

“Yeah for this weekend,” another kick this time to Nat’s shine which got a complaint from the boy.

“Why, what are you guys doing this weekend?” Eddy was going to pry this out of them if it was the last thing he did.

Edd pulled a notebook from his backpack as he spoke, “Nothing major Eddy, just going to go see…….”he opened his note book and started writing in it, resting on his lap and leaning against the table so Eddy couldn’t see it, “a football game.” He tapped both Nat and Kevin’s foot to draw their attention to the page, on it he had written, don’t tell him about the party.

Kevin stammered out a response as quickly as he could, trying to remember if any games were happening this weekend, “Yeah, we’re going to go see Summerville University play against the University of Fall Grove.” He hoped he had remembered right and that there actually was a game going on between them.

“You know the rivalry between those two,” Nat added trying to put some authenticity to the lie, “Should be fun just watching the fans get into it.”

“Oookkkk,” Eddy wasn’t sure what the hell was going on here but he was sure something was being hidden from him, “You all have fun with that, just tell me when have you been into football Double D.”

“I don’t know, Kevin just helped open my eyes to the merits of the sport.”

“Right,” Eddy drawled.

Kevin props his elbow on the table and rests his chin in his hand, “That’s what friendship is Eddy, give and take, sharing interests and learning from each other.” The bell rings and the room goes into a chaotic mess of students heading toward the door, “You should try it sometime,” Kevin stands and retrieves his books, “You might learn something.” Eddy was bristling around the edges, how dare that asshole imply that he didn’t know a thing about his friend, he knew plenty, much more then Kevin did anyways. Getting into the hallway and at a reasonable distance from Eddy and Ed Kevin asks, “So why don’t you want him knowing about the party?”

Edd fumbled with the strap of his book bag as he replied, “I just don’t want him seeing me in that costume, I’ll never hear the end of it from him.” A thought hit him, if he was too scared to let his friend see it why would he let others who were already prone to pick on him, “Maybe we should come up with a better costume theme, I don’t know if I want to do that one anymore.”

“No Edd, it’s perfect, with me and Nat at your side everyone else will think so to,” Edd looks over and sees that Kevin’s face was serious about what he said. He was the expert on social events after all, might as well take a chance and see where the evening will take him, it was after all just a costume and easily played off as such.

“Alright, I’ll trust you,” Edd stated and it was visible that a little bit of worry had been removed from his shoulders. 

Kevin gave him a weak smile trying to reassure him that he knew what he was talking about, but with those words Kevin was now nervous, if what he said turned out to be false would Edd blame him for his even worse social standing, was it even worth the risk. Reaching the intersection that Kevin would have to leave Edd’s side they say their farewells and Kevin had to yet again stop himself from leaning over and kissing Edd goodbye, damn it’s the most natural thing to do but he couldn’t do it now, even if they were more than friends.

Nat comes walking by and teases, “I saw that,” and makes a kissing sound when he is standing shoulder to shoulder with Kevin. “You’ve got it bad my friend.” Kevin looks over and sees that Nat’s eyes are firmly planted on Edd’s butt and smacks his friend in the chest, “What, I’m not going to touch, just admiring the goods.”

“Just keep it that way and we’re cool,” Kevin starts to walk off then turns around and mouthed he’s mine.

“Yeah whatever dude,” Nat laughed and waved his friend off.

“Just be ready to leave right after school,” Kevin called back to him as he walked off. The day went by slowly for the three of them, Nat’s mind going in circles wondering what horrible costume Kevin was planning on throwing him in. Kevin was trying to firmly stick to his guns on this choice, not wanting to ruin his chances with Edd if it all went south, but he also did believe the theme was a good one for them to do. Edd was excited for the trip they were going to take together, wondering where it was they were going that would get them the costumes he wanted them to wear. 

Finally the last bell rings and the three of them meet by Nat’s car and they all climb in, Kevin getting in the backseat with Edd, “You know you can sit up front Kevin.”

“But I want to talk to you.”

“You can do that from the front just as easily as back here.”

“Yeah dude, give the boy some space,” Nat added looking at his friend in the rearview mirror, “I aint no chauffeur.”

“Fine,” Kevin said and climbed up to the front between the seats, while doing so Edd got a very nice view of his perfect ass in those tight jeans.

Nat seeing this smiles to himself, “You like that, don’t ya?” Edd looks up and sees Nat staring at him in the rearview mirror and turns his head with a big blush upon his cheeks. Nat just laughs loudly then says, “It’s cool dude, it is a nice one to stare at.” Kevin looked between the two of them once he was seated feeling like he missed something, but caught the gist quickly and blushed himself a little. Hitting the road they drop by Edd’s place to drop off a note for his parents and pick up some money he had been saving from his allowance that he kept hidden from Eddy.

Dear Mother and Father,

I am going out with friends to go costume shopping and I will more than likely be home late, so please don’t worry. I will call you once we reach our destination, god willing that there is an available working payphone to be found.

Your Son,  
Eddward

Hitting the road again they traveled out of town toward the city of Summerville, it took them forty five minutes to reach the outskirts and another fifteen to reach the costume shops. Edd felt lucky that there was a payphone on the corner and he calls his parents collect, not only getting admonished for calling collect but for not asking them in person if he could go. Ultimately his mother let it go, feeling happy that her son was getting more friends and doing more things, hoping he was staying out of trouble was going to be her nightly prayer for awhile though. Entering the building and looking around, Edd quickly finds a few pieces of what he was looking for, the clerk sees what he was looking at as he holds it up and walks over, “Good choice honey,” Edd looks up and sees an African American woman with a curly afro and a beautiful smile. “But might I suggest this one,” she pulls out another almost identical costume and presents it to him, “It’s already glittery and might fit you better.”

Nat seeing what the clerk was presenting Edd looks over to Kevin and asks, “Are we?” Kevin just nods and Nat smiles broadly and starts to go on a rampage looking for the costume he wanted that matched his friends.

“Why don’t you go ahead and try it on,” she points to the fitting room close to the counter. Edd steps inside and takes off his shirt and undoes the costume, the clerk being a little excited herself looks around for pieces that would help the boy finish his look.

Ten minutes of fumbling with the costume and Edd steps out of the little room to be greeted by Nat whistling a cat call, “Wow looking hot D.” 

“Yes honey it looks good on you,” The clerk stated, directing Edd to spin as to show it all off to his friends, Kevin was speechless, his jaw slack. “I found you a few other things to complete your look,” she hands the items over for his approval, “But unfortunately we don’t carry shoes,” her look was apologetic.

“Don’t worry D, I got you covered,” Nat called from behind the rack of clothes, “What do you wear, a size nine?”

“Ten.”

“You two are a match then,” Nat came around the rack with his costume in hand, “I got the perfect pair of shoes at home for you,” ready to make his purchase he heads to the counter.

Edd hands the items the clerk gave him over to Kevin and retreats back into the dressing room to change back into his normal clothes. Coming back out he finds that Kevin had already purchased his costume and was waiting to hand him back his items, dropping them all on the counter the clerk rings them up and hits the total. Seeing that it was over his limit Edd turns to Kevin, “Kevin, can I borrow a little money, I seem to have exceeded my budget, if you would be so kind I will pay you back when we get home.”

“How much do you need,” Kevin asked as he started to fish out his wallet.

“Twenty bucks,” Edd looked embarrassed for having to ask this of him.

“Honey,” Edd looks up at the clerk, “For an outfit that fierce I’m giving you the employee discount,” She hits a few buttons and twenty one dollars falls off the price, “There now you’re golden.”

Edd smiles up at her and hands over his money, “Thank you,” he says shyly.

“No thank you,” She hits the cash button and deposits the money in the drawer then hands him his change, “Just do me a favor sugar, and rock that look.” 

She passes him his bags and Edd takes them, looking down shyly, “Don’t worry, we’ll make sure he does,” Nat answered for him.

Saying their farewells to the clerk they head out of the building and back to Nat’s car, Kevin takes the bags and places them in the trunk, “We’ll keep these over at Nat’s house until Saturday.”

“Why my house,” Nat said exasperatedly throwing his hands in the air.

“Because your mom is use to you doing crazy shit and won’t think twice about it,” Kevin closes the trunk and goes up to the front of the car to get in.

“Fine whatever,” Nat climbs in and unlocks the doors for his friends, “So you know I was thinking, that maybe we should ditch Nazz’s party.”

“What,” Kevin looked back at Edd and could see that he was having the same thought he was, that Nat was uncomfortable showing up in this theme, “No, I promised Edd we would go dressed the way he asked.”

“Oh don’t get me wrong,” Nat states, “I’m excited about the costume choice, I just have a better idea than some teenage rump fest,” looking over to Kevin with a grin upon his face, “It will be fun, trust me.”

Truthfully Kevin didn’t even want to go to the party, because he knew that Nazz would be hanging all over him the entire time, especially dressed in his costume. Looking back to Edd he asks, “Would you be cool with the change of plans?”

Edd thought about it for a short moment, he had already had second thoughts about going to the party and now that he has purchased the costume he was kind of committed to wearing it. Taking a small leap of faith, for Nat has already proven himself a trustworthy person and lots of fun when you take what he says lightly, “Sure, if Nat says it will be fun then I trust him.”

“See, Edd’s up for it,” Nat says smugly looking toward Kevin with a smirk firmly planted on his face.

“Alright we’ll go with your idea, just don’t make me regret it,” Kevin leans back in the chair praying to god that Nat wasn’t going to steer him wrong.

“Cool, then we’ll meet up at my place around three Saturday, we’ll have dinner get ready then head out from there.” All were in agreement and with the arrangements made Nat starts the car and heads back home, he was so looking forward to this weekend and knew his friends would be thanking him for the suggestion once it was all said and done.


	18. All the World’s a Stage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Language. I know I haven’t been keeping up with the warnings, sorry.

The next day the same routine happened of Kevin and Nat picking Edd up, this time from his house. The trip was spent trying to guess where Nat intended to take them this Saturday, their curiosity only fueled with each refusal to give them even the smallest of hints. The day at school was pretty much the same as always except for Ed stopping him right before lunch and absent from Eddy, “Hey Double D, where were you yesterday?” Edd only gave his friend a confused look, “You were supposed to come over with the movie I loaned you, I even ditched Eddy so we could watch it.”

 

Instantly Edd remembered that he did make plans with his friend and felt guilty for ditching him, “My apologies Ed, something came up at the last minute and I completely forgot that we already had plans.”

 

“That’s alright Double D,” He claps him on the shoulder knocking his friend off balance slightly, “I get it, Kevin asked you to do something the blinders went on and you forgot our plans.”

 

Edd hung his head in shame, “Now that you say it like that my actions sound neglectful.”

 

“Don’t worry about it Double D,” Ed waved off his concerns, ‘It’s as they say, Love is blind, and lovers cannot see.”

 

Edd raises his hand with his forefinger loosely pointed to his friend and his mouth agape trying to find the words to say, but puts his hand down and closes his mouth again. Sliding his hand down his face he states, “I wish you and Eddy would give up on that joke about me and Kevin.”

 

“Who said I was joking,” Ed says with a look on his face as if he was wondering if he had said something wrong. He decides to change the subject quickly, “Speaking of Kevin, what are you guys doing this Saturday, and I know you’re not going to a football game.”

 

“I don’t know, Nat won’t tell us,” Edd looks off down the hall still pondering his friend’s earlier words as he spoke, wondering how much his friend has surmised about Kevin and his relationship, “He seems to find a cruel pleasure in keeping it a secret.”

 

“That’s too bad, me and the folks are going out of town to see a movie, it’s going to be lots of fun,” Ed looked down trodden, “I just wish you could come.”

 

“I’m sorry Ed.”

 

Ed puts his arm around his friend and leads him into the lunchroom, “Don’t be, I’m sure you’re going to have a good time.” The rest of the week went by at a snail’s pace for Edd, his antici…..

 

Pation for the upcoming weekend was killing him. He filled the void by balancing his time between his friends and Kevin, learning more about the jock with each conversation they had, finding that the well of Kevin’s dorky side ran deep indeed. Not only was he into comic books and RPG video games but he could debate theory’s about star wars with the best of them and knew all things Trek. Finally Friday has arrived and Edd is on the phone with Kevin, “So why don’t we just crash at Nat’s place tonight?”

 

“Because, I’m staying over at Ed’s tonight, remember I told you that the other day,” Edd was laying on his bed looking up at the ceiling.

 

“Oh, right.”

 

“Besides Nat would probably just lie their jerking it, hoping to watch us get it on,” He let out a small laugh at the end of his joke.

 

“Hey I resemble that remark,” Nat’s voice was heard in the background.

 

“Kevin, why am I on speaker phone?”

 

“Because I’m kind of busy helping him straighten up his parent’s basement, it’s just easier doing it this way than one handed.”

 

“Unlike so many other things you do one handed, ouch,” And Nat laughs as he was hit by something Kevin had thrown at him.

 

Kevin was heard letting out a sigh, “Hey I probably should get going or we’ll never get this done.”

 

“Alright.”

 

“Have fun at your friends and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

“Bye Double Delectable, ouch,” and before the phone was hung up he could hear Kevin say, “I’m going to kill you Nat.” The night at Ed’s was spent as usual, playing Street Fighter 2 for a few hours, having to pass off the controller whenever they were defeated, then a marathon of monster movies until Ed’s mother told them it was time for bed. Waking the next day at a decent hour Edd returns to his home to get ready to meet up with Kevin, asking his parents for some money for he was unsure where they were going and if he needed to chip in for gas and food. Sitting around the house he tried to keep himself busy by reading books while he waited for them to come and pick him up, the last hour seemed as though time itself had stopped marching forward.

 

Finally there came the knock at the door and Edd races down the stairs to beat his mother to it, opening it he was greeted by the smiling face of Kevin, “You ready?”

 

Edd nods, “Yeah,” then turns to call out to his mother as he grabs his trench coat off the hook by the door, “I’m headed out, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

“Have fun dear,” was called back to him as he closed the door behind him and followed Kevin quickly to Nat’s car.

 

Driving over to his place was a relatively quick trip, once in the driveway the three of them climbed out of the car and headed inside. Nat said a quick hello to his parents as he climbed the stairs to his room, closing the door behind them he throws a pair of shoes one at a time to Edd, “Here try these on.”

 

Edd looks them over for a few seconds as Kevin sat down in the beanbag chair on the floor, “How am I supposed to walk in these?”

 

“It’s surprisingly easier then you think, just go ahead and try them on,” Nat plops down at the head of his bed with his tin in hand, Edd cautiously sits at the foot of the bed and begins to take off his shoes. Putting on the footwear he was provided with, he stands up on unsteady feet and tries a few steps unsuccessfully as his ankles wobbled as he applied his weight. Kevin seeing his difficulty stands and offers him his arm for support, Nat puts the final twist on the joint and says, “Let’s just hope you don’t need to do any running tonight.”

 

“If we do I’ll just swoop you up,” Kevin leads him around the room a few times as he spook, and Edd’s feet became surer of themselves with each step.

 

“My knight in shining armor,” Edd says as he looks Kevin in the eyes, and the jock blushes a little.

 

“What kind of a “friend” would I be if I wasn’t,” He helped Edd sit down on the beanbag and then took the spot on Nat’s bed, Edd removed the shoes while Nat lit the joint and began passing it around while Pink Floyd’s the Wall played in the background. Thirty minutes later they are grubbing on Mrs. Goldberg’s delicious home cooking, mellowing their buzz and sating the munchies. Once the meal was finished Edd is ushered into the bathroom by Nat and Kevin to change into his costume so they could apply his makeup on afterwards without the chance of smudging it.

 

 Once he came out and into Nat’s room Kevin was ushered into the bathroom with a, “Remember to put on the coat I gave you, my mother might actually flip seeing you walk around in that,” to which Kevin replied with a ya ya and headed off to change. “Sit D,” Nat motioned to the fold out chair that had been placed in the center of the room, and then draped a sheet over Edd’s costume to avoid any mess that might fall on it. Pulling out some makeup he starts to applying it to his face making reference to a picture he had on the boys lap every once in a while.

 

Kevin comes back in a few moments later and sees the transformation D was undergoing, “Wow looking good D,” Nat goes into the hall and calls to his mother.

 

“So how’s your costume look,” Edd asked while Nat was in the hall, Kevin was wearing a trench coat and all you could see at the base was his bare legs and shoes. With a smirk on his face he opens the coat flasher style and rocks his hips, “Kevin are you..”

 

Edd started but Kevin interrupted in his best Tom Petty impersonation, “Now I’m Free, Free Balling,” Edd covers his mouth trying not to smudge his makeup and laughs into his hand.

 

Kevin quickly covers himself back up when he hears Nat’s mother enter the room, “How’s it going guy’s?”

 

“Mom can you finish his makeup while I change?” Nat points toward Edd and retrieves his costume from his closet.

 

“Sure honey,” Nat leaves the room with his costume in hand and she looks over at Edd and then to the picture in his lap, she extends her hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Dr.”

 

Edd pulls his hand out from under the sheet and takes her hand in his own, “Enchanté,” to which she giggles like a school girl looking to the side and covering her mouth with her free hand. Twenty minutes later and Nat is back in the room dressed with his makeup on, looking over to Edd he sees that his mother was doing the finishing touches to the fake tattoo on Edd’s right shoulder, fine tuning the last S on the word Boss.

 

Seeing her son she squealed a little bit, happy to see that they were going with a theme, “Oh my god, I got to get a picture of the three of you.” She runs out of the room to grab her camera and Kevin promptly disrobes for the picture, coming back in she stammers, “KEVIN,” she covers her eyes with one hand turning her face to the side while trying to cover the image from her view with the other, “You need to hide that thing better.”

 

“Ya dude, you can see the outline,” Nat states as he looked down then back up into his friend’s eyes.

 

“Fine I’ll fix it in a little bit,” Kevin huffed, where’s the fun in being Rocky if you can’t show off all your attributes.

 

“Its fine,” His mother said, “Just take a knee in front of him Riff,” Nat did as instructed, “Now Frank put your hands on his shoulder and hike your foot up seductively,” Edd did what she asked as best he could, “And Rocky just flex those muscles.” Getting the desired pose she snaps the picture and squeals once again at the wonderful work the boys put into their costumes, “Going to Nazz’s party tonight?”

 

“Nope,” Nat states simply and hands Kevin his coat again, and the jock puts it back on and heads into the other room.

 

“OK, well you boys better take care of this one,” She cups Edd’s chin in her hand, “We don’t need any haters doing bad things to our dear doctor.”

 

“Yes mother, we’ll be careful,” He puts on his own jacket and then hands Edd’s his, for the night was a chilly one and he knew they would be standing in the cold for a little bit, not to mention to conceal what some would consider perverse. Heading out into the hall he calls down to the bathroom, “Come on stud, we got places to go,’ Kevin steps out a moment later and follows after Nat and Edd down the stairs and out the door as Nat’s father called after them from the living room to have a good time. Loading up into the car, Edd gets the front seat for having called shotgun first and Nat puts a backpack into the trunk, they head off and out of town. As they reached Summerville the sun was starting to set in the west, the red and orange glow of the clouds in the sky was something beautiful to Edd as it made a backdrop to the city skyline and the lights of the skyscrapers. As they were on the interstate making their way to their destination, a vehicle beside them was trying to get ahead of them so they could get over and use the same exit Nat was going for, looking over Nat just howlers, “No you don’t Brad and Janet,’ and he speeds up so that they had to fall behind them.

 

Taking the exit they travel down the road a few blocks and pull into a parking lot while still being followed by the minivan they cut off. It parks beside them and the occupants all tumble out as Edd and his friends exit their own vehicle, “Double D,” was excitedly said to him in a familiar voice and Edd looks up to see Big Ed dressed as Eddie as he came rushing over to give him a big hug.

 

Edd backs up and holds his arm out to stop his friend, ‘Ed you’ll ruin my make up,” the big guy just stops cold and takes in Ed’s look.

 

“Nice,” he says pointing both his forefingers in his friends direction

 

 May comes up beside Ed dressed as Columbia followed by her sister Marie who was dressed as Magenta, looking over at the minivan Edd sees his friends parents dressed as Brad and Janet. “Cool costume Double D,” May states, “Let’s see the whole thing.”

 

Nervously Edd opens up his trench coat to reveal his corset, fishnet stockings and garter belt, Marie cups her hands over her mouth to hide her smile and silent laughter. Kevin comes up to Edd and extends his arm to help the boy walk across the street, giving Marie the evil eye as he did so, “You be cool now Marie.” He was concerned that she might be getting excited having seen Edd so scantily clad, or that she might inadvertently let it slip in school on what she had saw Edd wearing tonight, she only nods to Kevin in response. Nat takes out the small back pack from his trunk and the two groups made their way across the street to wait in line at the theater. Reaching the ticket booth Kevin bought both his and Edd’s tickets and escorts the boy into the building, he could feel Marie boring holes into the back of his neck as they entered, but he shook it off as nothing to really worry about. Nat followed behind them quickly and the three of them head into the theater to find seats, they situate Edd between the two of them in the back row, putting their coats on the back of the seats, which then allowed Edd to see that Kevin hadn’t hidden his assets from the world, they were joined moments later by Big Ed and his crew.  

 

**(Ok form here on out CAPITAL BOLD WORDS are the audience and they will supersede the lyrics.)**

 

They talked excitedly amongst themselves until the MC came out on the stage at the very front of the theater with a microphone in hand, Nat positions his backpack on the floor in front of him and opens the zipper. “Give me an R, **(R)** give me an O **(O)** give me a C **(C)** give me a K **(K)** give me a Y **(Y)** what’s that spell **(ROCKY)** I can’t hear you **(ROCKY)** one more time **(ROCKY)**.” And the crowd starts to cheer excitedly quieting down a few moments later, “I’d like to give a warm welcome to all you virgins, **(WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO THEM?)** We’re going to pop your cherries good tonight virgins,” more cheering from the crowd and the curtains open as the movie starts to play.

 

The music for the Production Company plays and ends, “ **A LONG, LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY, GOD SAID LET THERE BE LIPS AND THERE WERE AND THEY WERE GOOD.”** Someone yells off in the distance **GROW LIPS GROW**.

 

Michael Rennie was ill, the day the Earth stood still, but he told us **WHAT** where we stand. **ON OUR FEET** , And Flash Gordon was there, in **EDIBLE** underwear, **KINKY,** Claude Rains was the invisible man, **WHO’S CLAUDE RAINS?** Then something went wrong, for Faye Wray and King Kong, they got caught in a **SEXUAL** jam, **YEAH JAM!** Then at a deadly pace, it came **ON, JANET’S FACE!** And this is how the message ran… **FREEZE!**

Science fiction – double feature, Doctor X **(CHEERING)** will build a creature. See androids fighting Brad **ASSHOLE** and Janet **SLUT**. Anne Francis stars in Forbidden Planet. Oh, oh, oh, oh……at the late night, double feature, **ROCKY HORROR** picture show. I knew Leo G. Carrol, was over a barrel, when tarantula took to the hills. **LICK THOSE LIPS!** And I really got hot, when I saw **JANET’S TWAT** , fight a Triffid that spits poison and kills. **WHAT THE FUCK IS A TRIFFID?** Dana Andrews said prunes, **GAVE HIM THE SHITS!** and passing them used lots of skills. **YEAH SKILLS!** But when worlds collide **BOOM (CLAP)** , said George Pal to his bride, I’m going to give you some **SEXUAL** thrills. Like a…

 

Science fiction – double feature, Doctor X **SEX, SEX, SEX!** will build a creature. See androids fighting **AND FUCKING AND SUCKING ON.** Brad and Janet. Anne Francis stars in **WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?** Forbidden Planet. Oh, oh, oh, oh……at the late night, double feature, **ROCKY HORROR** picture show. I wanna go, oh, ho, ho……to the late night, double feature, **ROCKY HORROR** picture show, By RKO **. RK WHO?** Oh, ho, ho……to the late night, double feature, **ROCKY HORROR** picture show. **WHERE’S THE BEST PLACE TO FUCK?** In the back row. **FUCK IN THE BACK ROW!**   Oh, ho, ho……to the late night, double feature, picture show.

 

As the song ends and the next scene begins Nat pulls out three packets of rice and hands them to Kevin and Edd, whispering “Throw when they come out,” in Edd’s ear. The rest of the movie was a barrage of name calling at the screen, water guns shot over the crowd, popcorn tossed, hot dogs flung, the time warp sang and in some cases danced to, all while a live performance of the movie was done on the stage in front of the screen. By the end of it all both Kevin and Edd were happy that Nat had suggested this outing over going to Nazz’s part by a long shot, no judgment, no fear of being bullied, they could be themselves and have fun together doing so.

 

As the theater cleared Kevin helped Edd out the door, “I need to go to the restroom,” Edd said as he pointed to the door of the men’s restroom in the lobby.

 

Kevin helps him in and stands guard at the door to the stall he was in, and when the door opened again Kevin took his chance and turned his head to catch Edd’s lips with his own. Edd melted into the kiss and allowed Kevin to guide him back into the cramped stall, closing the door behind them, Edd wrapped his arms around Kevin’s neck and both boys moaned into the kiss as Kevin explored Edd’s thighs and back with his hands. “Hey Double D,” they break their noisy kiss for Edd to mouth oh fuck and catch his breath, not getting a reply he tried again, “Double D are you in here?”

 

Stammering he replies, “Yes Ed, what can I do for you?”

 

“Mom wants to know if you and your friends want to go out to dinner with us,” Ed asks, and didn’t comment on the fact that he saw Kevin and Edd’s feet in the same stall.

 

“I’ll have to ask them,” Edd tried to steady his voice and calm his fears at getting caught.

 

“Cool, we’ll be waiting outside then,” They hear the shuffling of feet as Ed leaves the room, opening the door the two boys exit the stall and slowly walk out of the bathroom. Nat and Marie were in the lobby waiting on them, doing the greeting that Riff Raff and Magenta do with hands and arms.

 

Seeing the two boys coming out of the bath room they turn to face them, Marie’s mouth goes slack and Nat hides a snicker, “Dude they want us to go eat,” Nat states and Marie storms off. Edd looks up at Kevin and he feels the color fade from his face, Nat points at his own lips and says, “You got a little, right there.”

 

Wiping his lips he sees that a good amount of Edd’s lipstick had rubbed off and onto his own lips, “Ah shit,” he states as understanding on why Marie looked at the two of them so mortified floods his brain.

 

“Red just really isn’t your color,” Nat says jokingly as he hands him a napkin from the food stand.

 

“Can it Goldberg,” Kevin looks over at Edd and sees the scared look in his eyes, “You alright,” he wipes his lips clean.

 

“Yeah,” Edd lied, he just outed himself to someone who had a major crush on him, now her world of expectations was crashing down around her. Would this knowledge stop with her, or would the whole school know come Monday morning, and if it came to that would Kevin stand by his side or would he deny the whole thing and leave him to the wolves. Only time would tell which way the winds would blow for him, he could only hope that Kevin was true to his word in that he would do anything to win his affections back, or were they only hallow words like poisoned honey being dripped into his ears.


	19. Love is a Smoke Raised with the Fume of Sighs

“Well,” Nat gave a nervous laugh, “Shall we go? They’re probably waiting on us,” he knew that both boys were in quit the predicament, all it would take was for Marie to open her mouth once and most of the school would turn on them both.

Edd wraps his trench coat around himself and meekly speaks, “Let’s get this over with,” and Kevin extends his arm confidently for Edd to take hold of. Leading the boy out the door and across the street to where the other group was waiting for them, most of them already in the vehicle.

As they enter the parking lot, “Hey D,” Ed calls out and starts to run toward them, Double D’s heart begins to race really fast and his grip on Kevin’s arm tightens. His mind raced with thoughts, wondering if the boy was coming over to ask why they were in the stale together, or if Marie had already let it slip on what she had seen. The three of them stopped in their tracks as Ed joined them, “We’re going to the Denny’s down the road, so just follow us there,” this statement was directed more toward Nat. Falling in line beside Double D they continued toward the car, “So, what the hell is Marie’s problem all of the sudden?”

Edd stammered for a second and Kevin took responsibility and replied, “Nat was hitting on her, using some sexual innuendo about Riffraff and Magenta.”

Nat gave him a side glancing look that could kill but played along, “Yeah, my bad, sometimes my mouth just spits things out before my brain can say stop.”

“So she said no and you’re respecting her wishes,” Nat nods, “Then give her time, she’ll cool down,” they reached the mini-van and May climbs into the backseat leaving the side door open for him. Ed leans a little closer to Double D and softly says, “You two dating on the other hand might be tougher for her to get over,” and he walks off casually leaving the three of them standing there in mild shock.

“Alrighty then,” Nat says and walks off to his car climbing into the driver’s seat.

Edd and Kevin climb into the back seat of the car and the red head feels eyes upon him, looking out the window he sees Marie looking at them from her seat in the mini-van. Kevin reaches over and takes Edd’s hand, intertwining their fingers together, Edd looks in Kevin’s direction as he does this and sees him looking at Marie. With a pleading look in his eyes Edd mouths the word please to her hoping for some sympathy from her, and as the vehicle she was in started to roll backward he thought he saw her expression soften.

The van pulls away and Nat starts to back his vehicle up, Kevin leans over and kisses Edd on the temple, “It will be alright.” 

“I hope so,” Edd squeezed Kevin’s hand slightly and the jock could tell he was scared, his hand was trembling.

Throwing the car into drive, “That Ed’s a sharp one,” Nat added as the car moved forward

“That he is,” Edd was a little relieved that his friend was taking the discovery as well as he was, people sometimes surprise you. In the back of his mind he knew that Ed would always support him, it was just getting to that point of finding out that scared the shit out of him. Kevin comforted him as best he could by wrapping his arm around Edd’s shoulder, while he admitted to himself that his own heart was racing, in the back of his mind scenes were playing out on how this would go down and the what if’s. But the vast majority of his mind and his heart were in total agreement, Edd was finally his boyfriend and he planned on keeping it that way, fuck the rest of them if they don’t like it.

They pulled into the Denny’s parking lot ten minutes later and both groups filled into the restaurant, being seated at two booths that were back to back. Marie tried her best to squirm her way into sitting at the same booth with her sister and Ed’s parents but Nat intercepted her before she could. “Uh-uh little missy,” he guided her to sit in the seat farthest from the others in the next booth, “Let the happy couple sit together.” The seating arrangements were as follows going from outside to inside, Nat and Marie on one bench joined by Kevin and Edd to fill one booth, then Ed and May sitting behind them joined by his parents to fill that booth.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the four of them as they looked over their menu’s that were given to them by their blonde waiter. Behind them they could hear Ed and May giggling and talking amongst themselves and with his parents, a few comments about the movie and the group’s costumes coming up here and there. “Say something Marie,” Edd spoke quietly, his nerves were on edge from the silence between them, for once he wanted her to hit on him, for at least then he would know that things were normal between them.

“What do you want me to say, hmm,” she was noticeable upset and failing miserable at keeping it from showing in her voice, “That I am alright with all this, alright with the fact that someone that I have loved has spurned me for another man?”

That part was a little louder then Edd was comfortable with, although the volume was still low and no higher than normal, his fears were just playing with him at this moment. Kevin spoke low but stern, “Look Marie, he can’t help that he’s not attracted to girls, it’s nothing personal.”

She turned her full attention to Kevin, and if looks could kill he would have been knocking upon heavens door.“And what about you Mr. Casanova, how long have you been packing the fudge,” The hurt she was feeling was driving her mouth to say things that she really didn’t want to, she knew you couldn’t choose who you loved or who you were attracted to. “I wonder what everyone is going to think about Kevin Fucking Barr once they learn he bats for the other team,” she knew she needed to stop, for hurting Edd no matter the reasons was not something she wanted to do.

Nat had had enough of this, “Ok go tell everyone, then what, you know all you will be doing is giving them ammo to use against Edd, is that something you want to do?” 

She looked downtrodden at that thought, for it clicked that to out Kevin would be to out Edd and that would just invite more people to treat him bad, she shakes her head no. “Marie Edd’s your friend, isn’t that right babe?” 

“Yes,” Edd said sadly, he never wanted to hurt her, he just didn’t know how to get the point across that he would never be interested in her without telling her he was gay.

“And if you care about him as much as you say you do then obviously you have to think of Edd as a friend right,” She nods her head to what Kevin was saying never really making eye contact with him. “Good, for love without the aspects of friendship in it is nothing but obsession, and if that’s the case then Edd would be nothing more than an object to be possessed by you, that’s not how you feel is it Marie?” She shakes her head no, “Cool, then be his friend and respect his feelings and don’t try and hurt him with all this talk about outing him.”

She looked almost on the edge of tears, “But if you weren’t around I might have…”

“No Marie you wouldn’t,” she looks at Edd who had spoken up finally to tell her how it is, “I’m gay ok, so even if I wasn’t with Kevin I still wouldn’t be attracted to you. I’m your friend Marie and I never wanted to hurt you, but I can’t force myself to love someone no more than you can.”

The waiter had returned and was taking the orders for the other table at the moment, “What about his friends, they’re sure to notice?”

“Hey lumpy,” Kevin calls and both Ed and May peek their heads over the partition, and he continues a little lower in volume, “What do you think about us dating?”

May was the first to respond, “I think it’s great, D needs a little love in his life,” she smiled and ruffled Edd’s hair a little.

Marie was shocked, her sister knew about it before her and didn’t tell her, “May, how long have you known?”

To which Ed replied, “We’ve been taking bets on when he would tell us for awhile now,” Ed smiles broadly, “And I think it’s awesome, Kevin’s going to be good for him,” he claps Kevin on the side of his arm and they both turn back around as his mother called out to them to give the waiter their order.

“See their cool with it, I know Nat’s cool with it,” Kevin motions to their friend.

“It’s the thing dreams are made of,” and he makes an obscene motion with his hand as though he was masturbating, which earned him a kick from Kevin under the table and a irritated look.

Softening his face once again he turns back to Marie and continues, “And we’re cool with being in this relationship,” he motions between himself and Edd, “The only person who seems to have an issue right now is you.”

“Please Marie,” Edd said reaching his hand out to the girl, “You’re my friend and I don’t want that to change, so could you accept this part of me and be content with being my friend.” He meant every word of it, the only issue he has ever had with the girl was her constant flirting, if she could accept who he was and keep to those boundaries their friendship could develop into something great.

She thought it through carefully, this would explain a great many things for her, why he never reciprocated her feelings, why he never wanted to do anything sexual with her though she made it quite clear she would if he wanted to. It would also lift a burden from her shoulders as well, for she agonized over it wondering why she was never good enough for him, was she not smart enough, pretty enough or thin enough. Everything she tried to make herself more appealing to him never seemed to work and with this new information it all started to make sense, “I would like that, but I’m going to need some time,” she reaches over and takes his hand timidly.

“Thank you Marie,” he squeezes her hand gently, and at that time the waiter comes over to their table and starts taking Nat’s order, “I am sorry Marie, I never meant to hurt you, I swear.”

“I know Edd,” she returns the affectionate squeeze, “I’m sorry for hurting you with what I said as well, I was just…”

“I know, it’s alright,” he releases her hand and leans back into his seat, giving the waiter his order when called upon. 

Once she gave her order and the waiter had left them to turn in the slips Kevin asks, “So we cool then Marie?”

She let out a sigh, “It hurts but I’ll respect your relationship with Edd, so yes Kevin we’re cool,”

“Cool,” and the subject was dropped, only time would ultimately tell if Marie was going to keep good on her word or not and they would have to cross that bridge when and if they got there. The conversation from that point on was light between the three boys trying to return to some form of normality and leave the drama behind them, Marie would join in on occasion but mainly sat there working out her thoughts on the subject. While they waited for their food Kevin had placed his arm on the table in front of him so his forearm ran along the edge and his hand was dipped out of sight. The fingers of that hand and the fingers of Edd’s hand were gingerly brushing against each other under the table, seeking some discreet affectionate contact with each other while trying not to make Marie feel awkward. 

By the time the food had arrived Marie was feeling better, the pain was still fresh and there but she had made a choice that she needed to give up on Edd, and just maybe, by letting go she could find her own happiness. And as she watched Kevin feed Edd a bite of his steak smothered in egg yolk she came to accept that they did in fact look cute together. And just maybe Big Ed was right, that Kevin was in fact going to be good for the boy, for she could see that he was bringing him out of his shell little by little, plus when Edd laughed she could tell that it was genuine and that he was happy.


	20. Come, Sit Thee Down Upon This Flowery Bed

By the end of the meal Edd was relaxed concerning the situation with Marie, she had slowly returned to her normal self over the course of their breakfast, minus any of the usual flirting. Though her eyes did betray that she was still heartbroken over the situation, he could only hope that over time it would heal and become whole again so that they could get to know each other as true friends. Mr. and Mrs. Hill paid for everyone’s meal, politely refusing the three boys offers to chip in, “Oh no boys, its fine, just consider it an early birthday treat Edd.” Mrs. Hill said as Nat got up out of the bench to allow Marie to leave, she wiggle her fingers in goodbye to the three of them as she walked away toward the door, “We’ll see you next weekend for your party Edd,” Mrs. Hill bid her farewells and followed the teenagers out the door.

“You boys drive safe,” Mr. Hill stated as he looked Nat in the eyes, remembering that the teal haired boy was the driver who cut them off earlier that evening.

“Sure thing Brad,” Nat says as he gives the man a mock salute.

Kevin looks over at his boyfriend with a side eye glance, “So, when is the birthday boys special day?”

“A week from Tuesday,” Edd offered the last bite of his apple pie to Kevin, to which the jock playful took.

Nat stirs the sugar into his coffee, “So November third, you’re a Scorpio then, I’d watch out for this one Kevin, you just might just get stung,”

Not believing in astrology much Kevin just rolled his eyes at his friend’s remark, “The party is this weekend then,” Edd nods in response, “Your place or theirs?”

Edd fidgeted with his hands a little as he spoke, “Well the traditional birthday celebration of blowing out candles and gift giving will be at my house.” He felt that at fifteen he was mature enough to forgo the birthday song, or the embarrassment of his father teasing him with fifteen birthday spankings, aw the mortification of it all was already making his cheeks red just thinking about it. “But my friends and I are going to hang out afterwards, probably watch some movies and maybe smoke a joint or two,” Edd whispered the last part.

“Count me in,” Nat says enthusiastically.

“You just want to get high,” Kevin admonished him.

“True, but it’s our boys birthday as well, so it would be rude of us not to come don’t you think,” Nat checked his watch, Jesus Christ it was 3:30 in the morning and they still had an hour drive ahead of them. He taps his watch so they get the gist that it was getting really late and Kevin checks his own with a surprised look on his face, the three of them leave the booth and head toward the door. Nat asks as he held the door open for the both of them, “You won’t mind if we crash your party now will ya?” 

Edd pauses and looks Nat in the eyes and shakes his head, “No, it should be fine, but,” he looks toward Kevin, “Eddy most certainly cannot find out about us,” and he continues through the door.

Kevin holds up his hands defensively, “I promise, I’ll be on my best behavior.” Making their way into the parking lot they load up into the car, with Kevin and Edd sitting in the back seat. As Nat turned the engine over Kevin states quite simply in a mock upper society like tone, “Home Jeeves,” earning him the finger from Nat. Both boys laugh at the gesture from their friend as Edd leans his head on Kevin’s shoulder and places his hand in the jocks intertwining their fingers together.

The scenic route of the rural highway back to Peach Creek was quiet and dark with only barely a sliver of a crescent moon in the sky with light fluffy clouds rolling by quickly blocking out the stars. Nat was keeping himself awake with the coffee he bought from a gas station on the outskirts of the city along with blaring Metallica over the speakers, the current song however was one of their more softer pieces, Nothing Else Matters. Edd’s head was lolling from the surprisingly gentle music, waking him up with a start every time it would drop, “Come here,” Kevin says softly. Releasing Edd’s hand he takes off his trench coat and makes it into a makeshift pillow placing it to the side then he has Edd take off his own coat to use as a blanket. He turns his body to face the boy and awkwardly brings his leg behind him, “This seemed easier in my head I swear.” They both chuckle but manage the awkward position eventually, bringing Edd in close he leans back and lets the boy fall asleep with his head on his bare chest as he runs his fingers through his hair. The position was uncomfortable in the back seat but was also intimate so Kevin didn’t mind it so much, Edd’s gentle breathing and warm body against his own soon sent him off into sweet dreams as well.

Nat managed to trudge through what seemed to be the return trip from hell that would never end, pulling into his drive way at almost five in the morning he was halfway tempted to leave the two of them in the car. The sore neck’s and back’s would serve them right for falling asleep and leaving him alone to drive them home, “Hey guys we’re here,” he calls to the two of them. The both of them groan and stretch sleepily, nope, no pull out couch for them, no sir, the floor is all they get and if they were lucky and he was feeling generous they might get a pillow and a blanket but at this point he was not feeling benevolent. Getting out of the vehicle he slams the door and goes to his porch to unlock the front door of his house, his two guests follow behind him in a zombie like state, ushering them in he closes the door behind them, “Edd, restroom and wash the makeup off and you upstairs and change into something more descent.” Holy hell, these two are making him act like an adult, what’s the world coming to I ask you? 

Kevin and Edd trudge up the stairs to do as he asked them, Kevin changed into a pair of sweat pants in Nat’s room as Edd washed his face in the bathroom and then changed into his pajama’s while Nat scrounged up a few blankets and pillows to make them a mat in his room. Opening his bedroom door he finds Kevin sprawled out on his bed, the door to the bathroom down the hall opens and Edd walks out half asleep, Nat throws the pile of blankets on top of Kevin and storms off to change out of his own costume. “Dude,” Edd walks in to the room and begins to lay out the blankets on the floor, “What’s eating him?”

Edd was half awake and shrugs, Kevin gets up off the bed and helps him prepare their makeshift mat, once complete they both climbed under the blankets with Kevin sleeping closest to Nat’s bed. Edd adjusts under the covers to make himself as comfortable as he could, all things considered, with his back facing Kevin for no other reason than he liked to sleep on his left side he closes his eyes to fall asleep. He feels Kevin’s strong chest and stomach come up against his back, and the jocks arm slide underneath his own right arm, and his hand slide up to his chest where it came to rest. “Goodnight,” he whispered into Edd’s ear and the arm that was wrapped around him gave a gentle squeeze as he kissed Edd’s cheek. Edd’s eyes shoot open and he turns his head to look at Kevin, romantic affection was something new to him and right now his body craved it, screw sleep. He rolls over and gazes longingly into Kevin’s green eyes caressing his strong jaw line with his fingers, Kevin’s hand had come to rest upon his hip when he had turned over, he runs his fingers along his side as he brings his hand to cup Edd’s cheek. They inch their lips closer, and Edd’s heart is racing in anticipation but the spell was broken quickly as Nat enters the room and sees the situation, “No sucking and no fucking, I don’t even want you two giving each other a handy.”

Nat closes the door, “Jealousy doesn’t look good on you Nat,” Kevin replies.

Nat heads to his bed and slightly kicks Kevin, “Oh so sorry Kevin,” and again, “clumsy me,” and once more, “I’m so tired I can’t seem to walk straight,” then he flops down in his bed and crawls under the covers then turns out the bedside light. Kevin laughed off his friends sleep deprived childish behavior then faces Edd again joining their lips quickly humming out his desire, “No kissing either.”

“You’re so mean Nat,” Edd jokes.

“No just tired,” He lets out a sigh and rolls over to face away from them, “And I don’t want to be kept up by Kevin’s noisy kisses, you would think he was devouring you how loud he is.”

Edd looked at Kevin’s face as best he could in the dark room and could still see the smile that was upon his lips, Kevin takes Edd’s hand and places it on his chest, and Edd could feel the racing heart that was contained within. The jock then takes his forefinger and touches Edd’s chest with the tip of it and slowly glides it across his skin, drawing a heart shape upon it, then taps the center of the heart as though to say you, then puts the palm of his hand over Edd’s heart to feel his boyfriends quickened pulse. Both boys looked at each other with their hands upon the others chest, and Edd’s mind couldn’t help but ponder, “did Kevin just say I love you?” He buried his face into Kevin’s chest as the jock wrapped his arms around him and whispered, “I do,” then kissed the top of Edd’s head.

Edd brought his head up even with Kevin’s and snuck a kiss, Nat was fast asleep however so sneaking didn’t matter in the long run, breaking that chaste and silent kiss he whispered, “And I, you.” They lay in each other’s arms expressing their love for the other, with gentle touches and sweet silent kisses until Edd’s slow and steady breathing told Kevin that his love was fast asleep. Edd’s head on his shoulder and his arm around him, Kevin quickly joined him in sleep, the two of them held on to each other as their hearts danced together in their dreams, the simple but intimate embrace was building the foundation to the fortress of their love.


	21. Full Many a Glorious Morning Have I Seen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I know you’re like “Didn’t he mean For instead of Full” nope my darlings its is William Shakespeare’s sonnet 33. Warnings: Sexual situations.

Edd was slowly beginning to wake up, it was so warm and comforting under the blankets, but his back had a little ach to it from sleeping on the floor that night, but it was nothing too harsh. He lazily shifted his weight to try and get into a more comfortable position as his mind slowly started to come back into reality, and the strong arm that was wrapped around him pulled him in close as he rolled over onto his side. Edd’s eyes shot open as he breathed in Kevin’s scent and felt his bare chest against his own, his face was nestled into the crook of Kevin’s neck as he used the red heads arm as a pillow, and his cheek was resting against Edd’s forehead. His breathing was at a slow and steady pace which could be heard coming from his mouth that was positioned beside Edd’s ear and felt as his chest rose and fell. 

Edd’s right arm was pinned on the floor between both their bodies, his left hand was pressed against Kevin’s chest, softly tracing a pattern as he admired his boyfriends pectoral muscle. Their legs had become intertwined in the short amount of time that Edd had been laying on his side, both boy’s morning wood were rubbing against one another through their pajama bottoms. Edd could feel Kevin’s twitch every now and then with the slightest of movements, which in turn would cause his own body to react. Edd lay there enjoying the intimacy of the embrace, listening to Kevin’s rhythmic breathing and wrapping his free arm around Kevin’s body. The jock groans and stretches a little, feeling Edd shift in his embrace he whispers in his ear, “Good morning,” then became aware of the two body parts that were rubbing against each other, “Looks like someone’s awake.” He smiles broadly and laughs softly as Edd blushes and hides his face even further in the crook of his neck, gently guiding Edd’s face up out of hiding, “It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” and he leans down to kiss his boyfriend.

Edd quickly backs off, “Sorry I’ve got dragons breath right now,” scurrying out of Kevin’s embrace he climbs to his feet and digs through his overnight bag, finding his toothbrush, “I’ve got to brush my teeth,” and out the door to the bathroom he went. Sure Edd was a little nervous about plunging back into sexual relations with Kevin, the way the jock had reacted the last time had him on edge about rushing back to that level so quickly, and then there was the fact that Nat was in the room and could wake up at any time and catch them. 

Reaching the bathroom he begins to brush his teeth, while using his will power to force his body and nerves to calm down, to no avail of course, as Kevin and his shirtless upper body coming walking into the bathroom with toothbrush in hand. Closing the door behind him he reaches past Edd for the toothpaste, brushing his chest against Edd’s back, sending an electric charge through his body at the point of contact. Edd continues to brush his teeth for the appropriate two minutes, every so often admiring the view of his boyfriend’s naked upper half through the mirror. Kevin was reveling in the attention he was getting, smirking whenever he caught Edd sneaking a peak at him, making sure he was done brushing his teeth at the same time as Edd, “So where were we?” 

Pinning the boy between himself and the sink, “What about Nat?”

“He won’t wake up till the afternoon.”

“His parents?”

“More than likely at work,” with the last of Edd’s protests answered he closes the distance between their lips, moaning softly at the sweet contact, grinding their manhood’s together through their pants, bring life back into Edd’s. 

“We shouldn’t be doing this here,” Edd protested again.

“No,” a kiss to the neck eliciting a moan from the smaller boy, “we shouldn’t.” Opening the medicine cabinet he searches through it as he sucked upon Edd’s neck, finding a bottle of baby oil he sets it on the sink. Kissing the boy deeply, he pulled down the front of Edd’s pajama bottoms, exposing his erect cock, then doing the same for himself he grinds them together as he oiled up his right hand. Setting the bottle down, he places his left hand upon Edd’s hip and joins their lips together again. Reaching between the both of them with his right hand he slides it down over their shafts, rolling his hips slightly to glide his cock in and out of his grip as it rubbed against Edd’s erection. With his left hand he guided Edd to do the same, a delicious pleasure coming forth as they slide around each other in the tight grip Kevin had upon both of them. Occasionally in mid thrust they would slide around each other trading places in Kevin’s hand, instead of the fronts rubbing together now the backs were, casing the more sensitive head to rub the full length of Kevin’s shaft making Edd gasp for air at the sensation.

Edd held on to Kevin’s broad shoulders as his knees started to give out, with the orgasm building in his loins his thrusts were becoming more erratic, the kisses that had started out passionately had become something more animalistic. The coil snapped and his seed spilled, shooting up and drenching his bare chest, gasping as he broke their kiss his face scrunching up with the pleasure that was now crashing through his body, Kevin’s arm around the small of his back and Edd’s grip upon his shoulders the only thing keeping him on his feet. Kevin quickened his pace as Edd rode out his orgasm, the sensation of Edd’s pulsating cock beside his own coupled with the new sensation that was quickly filling his hand was enough to send him over the edge. Letting out a low groan as he aimed in Edd’s direction, drenching his boyfriend a second time, he shuddered with pleasure as his thrusts slowed and came to a stop, his breathing deep and burdened. As he enjoyed the afterglow he looked down and admired his work, in the back of his mind he thought that a dirty and cum drenched Edd look damn hot.

He kissed his boyfriend tenderly while still trying to catch his breath and he spoke once he broke the kiss, “You should jump in the shower,” and looked down at the mess covering Edd once again, taking a mental image.

Edd looked down as well at that moment and whispered, “Dear god, I look like a glazed donut,” making both boys laugh at the statement.

Kevin took a step back to allow Edd to head to the shower, watching as the boy shimmied out of his pajamas while he washed his hands in the sink. Edd closed the curtain behind him and turned on the water letting it warm up, Kevin asks as he dried his hands, “Do you need me to wash your back for you?”

Edd looks around the curtain and shakes his finger at him, “You’ve been bad enough for one day mister.”

With a playful smirk on his face he responds, “You haven’t even begun to see how bad I can be,” wagging his eyebrows and snatching quick kiss from him.

A knock at the bathroom door draws Kevin’s attention away from Edd, “Are you guys almost done jerking each other off yet?”

Edd quickly went back behind the curtain as though Nat could see him through the door, “Edd just got in the shower.”

“Well let me in, I’ve got to piss like a Russian race horse,” Kevin hesitantly unlocks the door and opens it a crack giving Nat a knowing look, “Don’t worry I’ll be a gentlemen.” Kevin swings the door open and allows him entrance, Nat rushes over to the toilet and calls out to the boy in the shower, “Good morning Edd,” and begins to relieve himself.

Edd meekly replies, “Good Morning Nat,” as he let the water run over the front of his body.

Nat finishes up with a loud sigh of satisfaction, “See ya Edd,” and flushes the toilet.

Rushing out of the room laughing to himself, he dodged the smack to the back of the head Kevin tried to give him, and the shriek Edd made, “Nat you are EVIL,” was yelled after him by the smaller boy.

Plopping on his bed he thought to himself, “Sorry Edd, but some pay back was needed.” Having to wait for them to finish what they were doing in the bathroom, while holding in the gallon of liquid in his bladder called for some revenge in his book. They should be thankful that he was gracious enough not to embarrasses the poor boy by knocking on the door mid moan, and get all huffy for breaking the rules he laid out last night. And that he was understanding enough to know that rules were meant to be broken, since Edd’s place was probably a no go, and Kevin’s as well for that matter. He understood that they would get whatever physical contact they could get from one another when they could get it, he just hoped they wouldn’t make using his place a habit.

Five minutes later Kevin walks into the bedroom to retrieve Edd’s clothes, “You’re an ass.”

“How so?”

“You know how.” 

“Whatever Casanova,” with the items in hand Kevin begins to leave to return to Edd, “Tell him I’m sorry, it was just a joke.”

Re-entering the bathroom the shower was off and Edd was still within it drying off, “Is that you Kevin?”

“Yeah,” hanging the clothes on the metal towel rack beside the shower, “I brought your clothes.”

“Thank you,” he steps out of the shower with the towel wrapped around his waist and begins putting on his clothes.

“Nat says he’s sorry,” Kevin rubs the back of his neck in his typical nervous fashion, “You know he only picks on you because he likes you.”

“I know, just wish he would find a less scalding way to do it.” He sits on the toilet and begins to tie his shoes.

“Yeah we wouldn’t want you to burn little Edd now would we.”

Edd looks up at Kevin with a puzzled look on his face, “Little, really?”

“Big Edd?”

Edd lets out and exasperated sigh, “Let’s just refrain from nicknaming my penis shall we,” it most definitely will not do to have it named after his friend’s nickname. Looking up at Kevin who seemed slightly amused by this, “And I don’t even want to know what you named yours.”

“The crotch roc..”

“Nope, don’t want to know, I will lose all respect for you.”

“Oh come on, you know you want to take a ride on my…”

“Not listening, la la la la la.” Kevin laughed at his boyfriend pretending to act immature about it and then strips off his pajama bottom to hop in the shower causing Edd to blush deeply. Exiting the bathroom once Kevin was in the shower he heads to Nat’s room and falls down on the blankets that were still on the floor. Looking up at the ceiling he begins to ponder to himself the meaning of male masculinity and how his lack of understanding it plus is diminutive size contributed to his social standing within the school. “Nat,” The boy acknowledged him with a small hum of accent, “Can you teach me how to defend myself?”

“Why?”

“It’s just in case I need it.”

“Why not ask Kevin?”

“Because he might go easy on me,” He looks over and sees the confused look on Nat’s face, “Being my boyfriend he might treat me with kids gloves, where as we are only friends you might not pull your punches.”

“Were exactly is this coming from?”

“So I can take care of myself, and that way Kevin doesn’t have to do it for me all the time.” Edd didn’t want his inability to defend himself against people like Tim to be the wedge driven between him and Kevin. 

“Well you’re at least going to let Kevin know I’m doing this for you.”

“What are you doing for him,” Kevin asks as he walks into the room drying his hair.

“Oh nothing to important,” Edd replied as he came up into a sitting position, he wasn’t sure if Kevin would agree to allow him to have sparing matches with Nat.

“Well that answers that question,” Nat said in a huff, then gets up off his bed and heads over to Kevin, “I’m teaching your boy how to fight.”

“It’s about time you learned to stick up for yourself,” Kevin replied without any hesitation and slips on his t-shirt, “I just don’t know why you didn’t ask me.”

“You can help out, but I’m in charge, you might be too soft on him is the general feeling we share.” And with that said Nat heads off toward the bathroom to get his shower, hopefully there would be some hot water left for him.

“I’m still going to make sure he doesn’t break you in the process though,” Kevin sits on Nat’s bed so he could put his shoes and socks on, “So if I may ask what brought this up?”

Edd looked up at his boyfriend from where he sat on the floor, “Just an understanding that nothing about me will change unless I make an effort, and that goes with how I am perceived or treated.”

“Alright, I’ll support you, just don’t get yourself hurt ok,” Edd agreed to this, and Kevin came down to the floor laying his head in Edd’s lap and interlocking their hands together. They discussed what kinds of things Edd hoped to gain from this “training” he was going to do with Nat, the boy expressed an interest in gaining some muscle as well as some in general defensive and offensive knowledge. When Nat returned to the room they set up three days a week they could get together and help Edd accomplish his goals.


	22. Beauty is Bought by Judgment of the Eye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought some reminders were needed, the story is taking place in 1992. Kevin and Nat are seniors 17 years of age about to turn 18 and Edd is 14 about to turn 15 in a week when we last left them. I will apologize in advance to you all, but the chapter is kind of political in statement with the current mood of the country, I broached it earlier with Soren in a previous chapter but feel it needs more discussion. Rave belongs to KirKurryArt/Eyugho

Edd spent a few hours that Sunday over at Nat’s house learning a few of the fundamentals he would need to know before they would teach him self-defense, for example they explained the different weight lifting exercises they were going to do to help him build muscle and endurance. They also showed him the proper way to position his feet and body along with how to form a fist, with so little experience he kept wrapping his fingers around his thumbs, they explained to him that he would break it the first time he punched someone like that. The last portion of today’s lesson from his two trainers was how to properly stretch his muscles before working out, to make sure your body was ready for the strain of the workout before lifting. It was during these stretches that the conversation turned from lesson to light conversation. Edd and Kevin were on the floor facing each other with their legs spread apart stretching to touch their toes, while Nat lay upon the bed separating the stems and seeds from his pot, prepping to role a joint to relax to once they were done. “So Edd,” the smaller boy stops looking at his toe as he stretched and turns his head to face Nat, “Once we turn you from Prince Adam into He-Man are you going to beat the shit out of Tim?”

“No Nat,” Edd comes back up and stretches toward the other toe, “My intention is not to seek out violence, but to prevent it from happening to me.”

“Good answer,” Kevin says looking toward his boyfriend from his stretched position.

“If I had said yes would you still be helping me Nat?”

“Nope, there are enough bullies around already,” He pulls a paper from the pack and folds it to form a pocket, “I was pretty sure that was your answer anyways, but you never know, you could have surprised me.” Picking up the separated bud from the tray he begins to sprinkle it into the pocked he had just made.

The boys grab onto each other’s forearms and Edd stretches forward while Kevin leans back, “Do you mind if I ask why you so readily agreed to this, I mean yes we’re friends but.” Edd leans backwards and Kevin stretches forward, “With the schedule you’ve proposed this will eat up a lot of your time.” Nat’s suggested schedule was a simple one, they would weight train for two hours focusing on endurance the first half then strength the second half, then thirty minutes to an hour of self-defense depending on how Edd felt after the exercise. They would do this every other day as to give Edd’s muscles some time to heal in-between workouts to help prevent injury since he wasn’t use to the strain of weight training.

“Just a promise I made to myself some time ago, to help those that needed it.” In all honesty Edd couldn’t think of a moment when Nat had been a bully or even mean to someone that didn’t deserve it. As a matter of fact from Edd’s observations in the hallways Nat would step in with some farce or another when he saw someone getting severely bullied. Either claiming he needed to “discuss” why the brainiac hadn’t done his homework for him yet or use his clout to convince the bullies to leave the dork for him to take care of. Leading the prey away from the predators safely before letting them know not to let it slip what he had done for them, this helped maintain an image for himself while keeping him in a position to help people.

“Sounds like theirs an interesting story behind that,” now done with their stretches the boys relax, Kevin moves so he is now sitting next to Edd leaning against Nat’s dresser. Wrapping an arm around the boy as Edd puts his head in his lap while lying on his back.

“Oh, there is.” 

“A tale of betrayal and deceit?” Kevin asks.

“Of a great love and its tragic lose?” Edd adds, Nat thought the both of them were acting like elementary school kids settling down to hear a Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale.

“Something like that,” He puts the joint into his mouth and lights it, takes his hit then leans over to pass it to Kevin, “You sure you two want to hear this?” The two of them nodded as Kevin took his hit and passed the joint to Edd. “Alright, well our story begins back in the glory days of 1988, and the hero of our story had just begun his eight grade year in school.”

“God I was only in the fifth grade,” Edd passes back the joint to Nat.

Nat gives him a shut the fuck up look, “A probably not a pub on your balls yet.”

“Hey I had pubs,” Edd huffed and Kevin snickered into his hand.

“May I continue?” He looked at Edd who was smacking Kevin on the arm playfully, and settled back down a moment later, “As I was saying, the hero of our story was a handsome lad who had carved his niche into the schools social structure using his own two hands. He was a bully and very good at what he did, praying upon the weak to further his own selfish gains of climbing the social ladder and taking the easy life of others doing his homework for him. A different girl under his arm every so often as though he had something to prove to the world by doing it, but in truth he was trying to fill a hole within himself with something he could not find.”

“Sounds like he just wasn’t in the right angle,” Kevin said making a motion with his right hand as thought he was bending someone over in front of him while making an exaggerated sex face, unable to go further with the joke due to Edd’s head in his lap.

“How rude,” Nat replies in mock repulsion, “But seriously there was something missing and he didn’t know what it was. That is until he went to the fall play the high school drama club had that October, his current piece of arm candy dragging him there for a date. The play was a Midsummer’s Night Dream and the boy who played Puck was stunning, as he danced around the stage beguiling the two sets of star crossed lovers with his fairy tricks.”

“Sounds like the boy had it bad,” Edd said taking in the look within Nat’s eyes.

“It was like being hit with a sledge hammer to the face for the boy once he realized why he was so intrigued with the older boy. The actor was in the eleventh grade and already getting lead parts, he was that good, the boy must have seen that play every night it was open to the public that season. Each night he hoped to talk with the actor, if for only just a minute, each night he chickened out at the last minute, his brain and heart fighting a battle that his brain was slowly loosing.”

“Sounds rough,” Kevin said under his breath he was now hooked on seeing how this story ended, praying for a happy ending.

“Probably about as rough as you had it only a short time ago when you fought with yourself about Edd,” He motioned to the boy in Kevin’s lap. “But eventually, on the last night of the play as a matter of fact, the boy worked up the courage to actually stop the actor and start a conversation.”

“What happened,” Kevin asked excitedly.

“I no uncertain terms the actor told him to fuck off because he was late to the closing party, but that didn’t deter our hero.” Nat laughed the beginning of the next part, “He told his father to follow the actor’s car because he was a friend he was going to hang out with for the closing party. Dropping his son off at the Ponderosa with a twenty in hand our hero, with determination in his eyes goes in and orders the salad bar and plops right down next to the object of his affections. Which only earned him a few more choices words from the older boy, but he did let him stay and even included him in their little get together, telling everyone that the hero was their number one fan.”

“Was it true love for the both of them from then on?” Edd asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.

“Not exactly, the road was bumpy and harsh for the two of them, age differences, different schools, social standings and crowds made it difficult for them to see each other.” 

“He did at least get his number that night?” Kevin was just as excited as Edd was for this romantic tale.

“Yes of course he did and they quickly became friends, each one stepping on egg shells with each other in regards to anything further. The boy wanted more, the actor seemed to want to keep that at arm’s length by playing dumb to the hero’s advances. Eventually though he had enough, and a full six months later from when they first met and our hero was then fourteen, he made it clear what his feelings were by shoving his tongue down the actor’s throat.” Nat laughed a little, “Well it seemed more romantic to the hero at the time than it actually turned out to be.”

Edd lets out an aw, “But I still think its romantic, to make yourself so vulnerable to prove your love.”

“Thank you Edd, I do to, and for a time the two of them were on cloud nine doing everything together, pushing their friends aside so they could spend as much time together as they could.” Nat lets out a sigh and the saddest look that Kevin has ever seen enters his eyes, “Unfortunately for a star crossed lovers the actors parents got suspicious of their relationship, asking the boy straight out if he was gay. The actor denied it with every ounce of his being, knowing how religious and very republican his parents were, sure they would disown him if they found out. This caused the boy to distance himself from our hero, still being the summer between eight and ninth grade he had no way of getting a hold of him except going to his house, and every attempt was met with a suspicious looking mother or father telling him the boy wasn’t home. Eventually they told our hero that their son never wanted to see him again, apparently their thought process was if anything funny was going on it must be this boys fault.”

Nat wipes a tear that had not fallen yet from his eyes, “In a moment of desperation our hero sends his love a letter in the mail with no return address, hoping that his parents wouldn’t notice it and just hand it to him. Oh how naive he was, he hand delivered all the proof they needed that their son was exactly what they feared right into their hands.” Edd and Kevin were on edge at this moment hoping that like Cinderella once released from the evil step mothers grasp the actor could be reunited with his love, but Nat’s words spoke another truth. “They shipped him off to Love in Action,” Nat started to quietly cry at this moment, “I only know this for he somehow found a way to call me before he left, so I knew he didn’t leave me on purpose. I begged him to run away with me, but somehow his parents had gotten into his mind,” he taps the side of his head with his finger, “And made him believe he was sick and needed help, and that this place was going to give it to him. I never heard from him again, I found out a few months later that he committed suicide while in their care.”

Kevin and Edd pull him to them and enveloped him in a hug, though it was an old wound it still brought pain to Nat, he felt responsible for Rave’s untimely death. Telling himself that if he had just been smarter about it and waited for school to begin again they could have probably made it through that minor separation, and Rave would still been here. “I did some digging shortly afterwards,” Nat said through sniffles, “And found out that those places pretty much torture you while they try to convert you, shamming you into hating that part of yourself. What kind of parents would put their only son in a place like that, when they even tell you that there’s a fifty percent chance your kid will commit suicide.”

“I don’t know Nat,” Kevin squeezed a little harder on the hug.

“Assholes I tell, fucking assholes, you should love your kid no matter who they are, at least that’s the Christian way I was taught.” The three of them stayed like that for several minutes allowing Nat to work the pain the memories had brought to him out of his system before pulling himself out of their embrace. “Sorry guys, I didn’t mean to get all emotional on you.”

“Its fine Nat,” Edd said and Kevin confirmed, getting up Nat lights a cigarette and opens the window in his room to let the smoke out. For the next couple of hours before they took Edd home, the boys sat around and talked a little more, trying to cheer their friend up as best they could while trying to patch the hole in his heart with their love for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have personally never been in one of those places and therefore cannot attest to whether love in action does the shock therapy or other things that can be construed as torture. But a lot of places that do conversation therapy do things like that to make a person view the gender they are currently attracted to negatively, and reward the person when they are shown a member of the opposite sex, thus thinking they are giving positive reinforcement. And yes the suicide rate for places like that can reach fifty percent, and those who survive are left scarred but not changed.


	23. – Is There No Respect of Place, Person, Nor Time in You?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The quote is “My masters, are you mad? Or what are you? Have you no wit, manners, nor honesty, but to gabble like tinkers at this time of night? Do you make an ale-house of my lady's house, that you squeak out your coziers' catches without any mitigation or remorse of voice? Is there no respect of place, persons, nor time in you?” He is suggesting that they are acting like unmannered commoners instead of nobility and are breaking rules of social decorum. Warning: Remarks on someone’s weight and homophobic comments.

In the words of the Mama’s and the Papa’s “Monday, Monday, can´t trust that day, Monday, Monday, it just turns out that way, Oh Monday, Monday, won´t go away, Monday, Monday, it´s here to stay.” And our dear Eddward finds himself boarding the bus to head back to school to start another week’s worth of learning. Statistically speaking Monday’s have a higher rate of heart attacks than any other day of the week, due to the fact that most people are coming off their two day weekend and returning to their stress filled job or school.

Edd leaned his head against the window of the bus recalling the events of this past weekend, the road trip with Nat and Kevin to go see the movie, god did Kevin look sexy in his costume. The kiss in the bathroom stall and Marie finding out about them, a small twist of worry settled into his stomach as thoughts of her changing her mind crept into his head. How many of his classmates already knew about Kevin and his relationship, how many of them were waiting to taunt and beat him over the head for it. Fidgeting with his hands in his lap he stared out the window and watched the houses go by as he took a few deep breathes to abate his fears and calm his nerves. If it was true it was already too late, his course was set for the day and there was no turning back, he would just have to survive it and politely ask his parents to move him to another school when he got home that evening.

He tried keeping his thoughts on more pleasant memories of the weekend, falling asleep in Kevin’s arms both in the car and on Nat’s floor. A blush creeping across his cheeks as he recalled the next morning’s activities with the red head, but it all felt so damn good, and not just because of the orgasm either. It was the way Kevin looked at him before during and after that felt good, those green eyes that looked into his, filled with nothing but love, and that love was meant for him and him alone. This banished all thought of Marie’s possible betrayal from his mind and made his heart all light and happy, Kevin loved him and wanted to be with him, he wanted to hold him and kiss him, to suck and f….. Woo, hold it right there, he was still a virgin in that respect and the thought of Kevin taking that was both exciting and scary. Was it going to hurt, or would there be pleasure and a bond of love unimaginable awaiting him? 

He swallowed down the ball of nerves that put a lump in his throat as he tried to figure this new thought out, all he had to go on was the stereotypes the kids in school threw around. There were no books in the library on the subject, he should know he looked. There was no one in his life that he could turn to freely and ask these questions, well maybe Nat but how do you broach that subject, “Hey Nat, have you ever taken it up the ass before?” He closes his eyes and sighs, he knew he wouldn’t word it like that, but he was sure that anyway he tried to ask it, would come off sounding like that.

The bus pulls up in front of the school and opens its door to let the teenagers depart and the original thought reenters Edd’s mind about the possibility of Marie’s betrayal. He sits in his seat for a moment dreading leaving the bus, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, reading himself for whatever verbal onslaught awaited him. “Come on Sockhead, you’re going to be late,” Eddy calls out to him snapping him back into reality.

Edd grips the seat in front of him to help pull himself up and into the aisle, Big Ed looks over at his friend with a worried look, “You alright Double D?”

“I’m fine, why?”

“You’ve been awful quiet is all,” Ed slowed his pace to allow Eddy to gain some distance from them. “I know you’re worried about Marie talking,” the look in his friend’s eyes told him he hit the nail on the head. “Me and May talked to her yesterday just to make sure, and look she’s cool, a little hurt but cool.”

Edd was grateful for his friend and thus didn’t correct his bad grammar, “One would have thought that she would have gotten the hint that I wasn’t interested years ago.”

They entered the lunch room and Edd felt like all eyes were on him, even though no one was looking in their direction. “Sometimes the truth has to be shoved in a person’s face before they can accept the reality of their situation,” Ed, always the source of surprising insight.

Coming to their usual table they find Marie, Kevin, Nat, May and Eddy already sitting there and quickly stopping their conversation as they came within earshot of the group. Edd put his book bag down on the bench so it was positioned between Kevin and himself then sits down, the jock quickly moved that bag to the floor under the table. Seeing Marie sitting with the group took a load off of Edd’s shoulders, she smiled at him as he sat down but her eyes still said she needed time, smiling back at her he asks the group as a whole, “So what are you all talking about?”

Everyone paused for a moment as they all seemed to thinking of a response, “Oh just that Tommy and Myrtle are the talk of the school right now,” Nat responds.

“Apparently they went to Nazz’s party dressed as Snow White and Prince Charming,” Kevin adds.

“And that Nazz was wearing the same costume as Myrtle,” May continued.

“It seems that anyone with any sense thinks Myrtle pulled it off better though,” Marie finished.

Eddy feeling left out and having his ear closer to the ground then most included, “But of course you know those same people are telling Nazz that she was prettier, then giving their real opinion behind her back.”

“Aw the politics of popularity,” Edd mused, how could you really tell who your true friends where and who was only there because of your status when you were popular, this thought made him feel a little sad for Nazz. He could also see more reasons why Kevin didn’t care about his station in the school anymore, to many two faced people only telling you what you wanted to hear and not what you needed to hear.

The bell rings to tell the students that it was time for them to head to class and May leans over and whispers into Ed’s ear, to which the boy’s expression changed a few times. Standing he comes over and takes Edd’s arm, “Hey Double D, can I borrow your Biology notes?”

Leading Edd away from the rest of the group at a quick pace, “Sure Ed, I would be happy to assist you.”

The remaining five walked at a slower pace to allow some distance between them and the other two Ed’s, they knew that Double D was aware of the get together this coming weekend for his birthday, but wanted to keep the details a secret. “Now that our boys distracted lets plot,” Kevin spoke as they walked down the hall, turning his head toward Nat, “I don’t like the idea of telling him that we both can’t make it, seems kind of cruel.”

“Well,” Nat searched for the right words to say, “It’s not like we are really ditching him, just gives it more of a surprise feel,” he holds up both of his hands in a mock “Surprise” fashion, “You know ‘hey we’re really her’ kind of thing.”

“You can give him an excuse if you want, but I’m not going to make him feel bad all week thinking I’m not coming.” Directing his attention back to the rest of the group Kevin asks, “So before Nat’s stupid suggestion where were we on planning.”

“Hey it’s not stupid.”

“Ed’s mother is supplying the snacks,” May states, “So we’re covered there.”

“May and I will do the decorations,” Marie adds.

“I’ve got the pot,” Eddy says in a hushed voice.

Nat laughs, “That bunk weed.”

“The shit I get aint no bunk weed asshole,” Eddy was fuming.

Nat shakes his head in disbelief, “I got the party favors.” Eddy mumbles under his breath, something about his shit aint bunk, and that teal haired bastard and so on and so forth.

“I guess that leaves me to supply the music then, any requests?” And Kevin was bombarded with suggestion ranging from rap to pop, and a plethora of different artist. The girls wanted artists like En Vogue, TLC, Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige, Eddy wanted artists like Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Tupac, and Cypress Hill. Kevin already was well aware what Nat would be interested in and was glad the boy didn’t add to the commotion the other three were causing. “Ok, ok guys I get it we want a wide variety of music, I’ll do my best but no promises.” Reaching his locker he bids his friends a farewell and started to dial in his combination, Nat’s locker was a little further down from his.

“What the holy fuck Kevin,” Nazz’s voice was heard behind the jocks shoulder, “Where were you Saturday?”

Opening his locker he turns to look over his shoulder at the fuming blonde, “Sorry Nazz, something came up.”

“Sorry Nazz, is that all you have to say to me?” The blonde’s anger with him was not abating, “You were supposed to be at my house at six, I had your costume ready and everything.”

“Yeah, what costume?” He already knew the answer but he wanted to hear it from her.

“Prince Charming,” She seethed for a second, “I was so fucking embarrassed when that fat ass showed up wearing the same thing, and you weren’t there.”

Kevin was starting to get pissed over her comment about Myrtle and it was evident in his voice, but he tried to contain it, “That’s not my fault.”

She interrupts him, “And what do you do, ditched me to hang with that faggot.”

Kevin had enough of her mouth, “Shut the fuck up Nazz,” she noticeably shrinks at his tone, Kevin has never raised his voice at her, even just a little bit, Nat slowly walks over as the warning bell rings. “It’s that attitude right there that makes me not want to come around you anymore,” he turns back around and pulls his books out of his locker and closes it. “You’re more concerned with what people are then who they are, and I am nothing more than an accessory to you, a status symbol.”

“You’re my best friend Kev,’ her demeanor was quickly changing from anger to sadness.

“First off, the costumes you chose are not friend costumes, it was meant to make people think we are a couple.” The anger in Kevin’s voice was matched by the look in his eyes, Nat just watched with a concerned look as he laid into the girl verbally, “Secondly your attitude toward people recently sucks, so what if Edd’s a dork and Myrtle is a little over weight, that doesn’t give you the right to call them such mean names. And thirdly but not the last item on my list are those people you think are your friends, they view you the same way you view them, status symbols, you think they are going to remember you once they get that little piece of paper at the end of the year.” 

“They’re my friends, we will never forget each other,” she was close to tears.

Kevin took a few breathes and was calming himself down slightly, the tardy bell rings, “Wrong, they will go on to whatever college they chose or straight into the workforce and forget the name Nazz Van Bartonschmeer.”

“You’re wrong,” a tear falls down her cheek.

“The next time you will see them is ten years from now, they’ll play nice and talk about the babies they had and their carriers, promises to reconnect made and forgotten, but that’s it.” Sure he was being mean to her, but wasn’t she as well, he might be exaggerating the truth a little but she needed to see that she was no better than Edd or Myrtle. “Think about it Nazz, you need to get to know people before you cast judgment, and then you might see their true worth,” he walks off with Nat in tow.

“Don’t you think that was a little too harsh man?”

“She deserved it,” true she needed an eye opener, and he did feel bad for going that far, but when she talked about Edd in such a negative way, it had struck a nerve with him and she needed to be taught a lesson. Myrtle is a good person, and Edd, well writing his thoughts about the boy would probably take another three pages and I currently do not have the time to do such a thing, but I am sure you all can imagine it though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know I have added it up and so far this fic has only covered sixteen days since the night at the skating rink. Aw the youthful heart, how quickly it falls in and out of love at that age.


	24. Lord, What Fools These Mortals Be!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Captain of our fairy band, Helena is here at hand, And the youth, mistook by me, Pleading for a lover's fee. Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be!” Puck is blaming the lovers for the foolishness of their actions, even though he is to blame for Demetrius pursuing Helena and spurning Hermia.

The week went by at a steady pace, Edd did two out of his three days of training this week on Monday and Wednesday. Finding himself rather sore on Tuesday he complained to Kevin that he didn’t think he would be able lift his books that day, “You’ll be fine dork,” Kevin said out loud but leaned in to whisper, “Do you need coach to give you a rub down?” 

His flirt making Edd’s cheeks blush to a whole new shade of red, “What’s wrong with you Sockhead,” Eddy asked once he got a look at his friends face. Tim this week seemed to keep his distance from the object of his disdain, whether this was due to Edd standing up to him or Kevin’s presents the teen was unsure, but was thankful none the less. Nazz also seemed to have had the wind taken out of her sails that week, barely even giving a glance in Kevin’s direction, not that the jock seemed to care about this.

Because of the training schedule that week, Kevin and Edd barely had anytime to themselves, once the training was done for the day the teen would have to rush home to eat and do his homework before he went to sleep. And on his off days from training Edd would spend his time relaxing with his friends after he completed his homework for the day, watching movies or playing video games on the SNES. Though he wanted to see his boyfriend he didn’t want to neglect his friends in the process, Kevin understanding this gave the boy the space he needed to keep the connections in his life strong. 

But like the Steve Miller Band said, time keeps on slipping into the future, and before Edd realized it the weekend was here. That Friday he was unable to go out with Nat and Kevin for training due to having to go out to dinner with his parents and the other two Ed’s to celebrate his birthday. They took a trip to Summerville to have dinner at the Tex-Mex restaurant Chi-Chi’s, Edd sinking into his seat when the servers came over to their booth midway through the meal to sing the restaurants version of the birthday song to him while clapping their hands. “Happy happy happy birthday, happy happy happy birthday, happy happy happy birthday, to you. to you. to you. Ole.”

Peaking his head out from under the table once the song was complete to look over at his parents who had broad smiles on their faces, Edd says very low, “I’m going to kill you both, I’ve never been so mortified in all my life.”

“Now sweetie, it’s all in good fun,” his mother said while trying to contain a giggle, Edd just groans at this then sits up to blow out the candle on the little cupcake they had brought to the table. 

His two friends on the other hand were having a harder time containing their amusement at his embarrassment. “The look on your face Sockhead, priceless,” Eddy said through the chuckles he was barely containing while hiding his smile behind his hand.

“I’m glad you enjoyed that, Eddy.”

“I’ve only seen your face that red when Kevin ki.. Ouch,” Edd kicked Ed under the table hard, “I’m sorry Double D,” Ed whispered to his friend.

“What did Kevin do,” Edd’s mother asked in a worried tone.

“Umm,” Ed stammered for a second as he tried to find a word that started with K, “He kept teasing Edd about his hair when he didn’t wear his beanie a couple of weeks back.” Seeing the look in her eyes he continues holding his hands up defensively, “Friendly teasing mom, friendly teasing.”

“I don’t remem… ouch,” Eddy started and Ed kicked him hard to shut him up. Giving both boys a knowing look she lets the topic go, fully aware that there was something going on that the two boys were trying to keep to themselves,. She knew that teenagers will have their secrets, and that she would be there for her son if there was any fallout from it. Finishing their meal, they left the restaurant and headed into the mall to go shopping, buying Edd The Legend of Zelda, A Link to the Past game that had just came out at the beginning of the year.

With purchase in hand they go to the movies to round out the evening, the boys begging Edd’s parents to let them see Candyman, to a resounding no, his parents choosing Reservoir Dogs instead. The movie was up everyone’s alley, a little more violent then Mrs. Vincent would have liked, for the kids sake, but ultimately a good movie. On their way back to Peach Creek they listened to Queen, the boys singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody, Wayne’s World having been a big hit with the three of them earlier that year. Arriving home close to eleven that evening the boys stayed the night over at the Vincent house to wake up to a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs and beacon.

Ed and Eddy left their friend around one in the afternoon to meet Marie and May at Ed’s house to straighten up the basement and to get things ready for Double D’s little get together that night. Edd waited for his friends by playing his new video game, enjoying the upscale in graphics from the previous installment in the series, by the time he needed to leave he was well into the game. Saving his progress he has a quick supper with his parents before heading out the door, wondering if Nat and Kevin had already arrived at Ed’s or if they were going to show up later that evening. Smiling to himself as he stepped out of his front door to look down the road to see Nat’s car parked in Ed’s drive way. His feet moved of their own accord as he ran down the road to knock excitedly at his friends door. “Ed, D’s here,” could be heard from the other side of the door as Sarah yelled at her brother, “He’s your friend you get the door.”

The door opens and Mrs. Hill greets him with an apologetic smile, “There down stairs dear.”

Entering the house he walks past the living room and notices Sarah and Jimmy sitting on the floor watching MTV together. Going further down the hall he reaches the basement door just in time to dodge Big Ed as he came up the stairs. “Hey D, their all down stairs, I just got to get some water,” he wiggles a plastic cup in his hands to emphasis his point and moves past his friend.

Heading down the stairs he is greeted by Nat, “Hey Double D,” he says the D in a bark like fashion. Extending his hand they clap them together and he brings Edd in for a one armed hug, “Happy birthday.”

Kevin does the same thing, but lingers in the hug a little longer then Nat did, whispering, “Happy birthday babe,” in his ear.

Breaking the hug when Eddy teases, “Ah do you all need some privacy?” 

Edd gave his friend a look that would have killed as he walked past Kevin to say hello to the girls, “Hey D, smell this,” Nat calls holding a zip lock baggie of herb. 

Once he broke the seal the room was filled with the pungent smell of the contents of the bag, “Jesus, Nat, I think I’m getting high from here.” The teal haired boy smiled with Edd’s remark, handing the baggie over as Big Ed came down the stairs with the cup of water. Nat reaches into his back pack and pulls out a glass tube like item that had a decent sized bowl attached to it. 

Edd inspected the fluffy bud with its light green hew that was intertwined with brown, “It’s Northern Lights,” Nat remarked as he filled the bong with the water Ed had given him. Sitting it down on the table he took the baggie back from his friend and began to pack the bowl with the bud, “Maestro, if you would,” Nat calls to Kevin, and the jock inserts a tape into the stereo then hits play.

A child’s voice calls out “Are you ready,” and Cypress Hill’s Light Another starts to play over the speakers. Nat picks up the glass instrument as he sat on the futon and puts a lighter to the bowl, drawing deeply he fills the tube with smoke, releasing his thumb from the hole, the tube empties into his lungs. As he coughed slightly trying to keep the smoke in he passes it to Edd, the dork looked at the bong curiously, he was clueless on how to use the item having only ever smoked joints before tonight.

“Hold it like this,” Kevin said noticing Edd’s ignorance on its use, showing him where to put his thumb, “Once you draw the smoke release here.” Edd did as he was instructed, releasing his thumb from the hole he felt the smooth burn as the smoke hit his lungs, causing them to want to expel it, he did his best however to hold it in. Marijuana can be a rather quick acting drug, being inhaled it hits the blood stream instantly and then is propelled to the brain, and within a minute Edd his feeling the effects as Kevin is passing the bong to Marie.

The songs main chorus is playing in the background now as the rapper says, “Feel the effects of the high  
I know you feel the effects of the high, Wanna feel the effects of the high, brother? B-Real, light another.”

The door at the top of the stairs flies open with Sarah staying at the top screaming down to them, “ED KEEP THE MUSIC DOWN.”

Feeling the effects of the high he just calls back, “Fuck off.”

“I’m telling mother,” She whines as she slammed the door behind her retreat. The group as a whole laughs at her antics as they could hear her up stairs yelling for her mother, but only being told to leave her brother alone.

“That’s priceless Ed,” Eddy says in a horse voice as he tried to keep the smoke in while passing the bong back to Nat, “Fuck off,” and burst into laughter again as he exhales the smoke. As the one song ends Nat is emptying the bowl of ash and refilling it as it had only made one trip around between the seven of them. Compensating for this, he rolls a joint to pass in the opposite direction as Edd begins the rotation with the bong, his plan was to make sure that Edd had a blast on his birthday. The next song cues up and the room was silent, Edd finished his hit and passed the bong to Kevin, who now had his leg pressed up against Edd’s. As the young teen held his smoke he could hear the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat, and at first he wasn’t sure if it was his own or not. The other teens were chatting amongst themselves about music and movies they wanted to see, Ed telling everyone that they should get together to see the new Bram Stokers Dracula that was coming out next month. 

The sound of an old cash register and someone talking over the speakers culminating in a scream as Pink Floyd’s Breathe (in the air) started. “Edd,” Kevin said beside him, “Take a breath,” and the teen let out the smoke he had been holding, “You looked like you were turning blue man.” 

“Oh, I’m fine,” Edd said giggling a little, “How you feeling?” He touches Kevin’s cheek with his fore and middle fingers, “Good I see,” and chuckles a little.

Kevin knowing that Eddy was in the room moves Edd’s hand from his cheek, “That’s enough for you for the moment.” He looked over at the scammer who was not paying a bit of attention to their interaction luckily. But inside Kevin had enjoyed the touch, it was probably the first intimate moment they had been able to share all week, and he was yearning for more. Hitting Nat on the knee to get his attention, “We’re going to get some fresh air.”

Nat gives him a head nod to affirm that he had heard him and watched as Kevin helped a stoned Edd up onto his feet. Northern Lights is one of the more potent strains of cannabis out there, and Kevin was mentally smacking himself a little for letting the smaller boy go all out, knowing the teen was probably only use to the bunk weed Eddy usually got. Leading him up the stairs and out the back door they pass Mrs. and Mr. Hill in the kitchen making snacks as they headed toward the door. The look in the two parent’s eyes told Kevin that they had gotten a contact high and were in the midst of the munchies.

They exited the house and he leans the smaller teen against the wall and turns his head to take a look at their surroundings. Not seeing anyone in sight he leans in close with his hand placed against the wall next to Edd’s head, “You feeling better?”

Edd nods and hums but still had his eyes closed trying to make the world stop spinning for just a moment. Kevin brushes the back of his fingers against Edd’s cheek, leaning in he brings their lips together for a much needed exchange of love for the boy. Edd was momentarily shocked by the contact not seeing it coming but quickly melted into that kiss, placing his hands upon his boyfriend chest, giggling between kisses at the sound they were making with their lips. This in turn made Kevin laugh, putting his head on Edd’s shoulder, “I can’t take your seriously right now,” he sighed in mild frustration then looked into the ocean blue of Edd’s eyes

Edd laughed again, for some reason everything was funny to the boy right now, stifling it as best he could, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“Dork,” Kevin leaned back and smiled at the laughing boy, “Are you going to be alright?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine,” a smaller fit of giggles escape him.

Letting them subside he kissed him quickly, “I love you,” another quick kiss, “Come on we should be getting back downstairs.”

“Oh,” Edd giggles again and tries to talk through them, “Only bringing me up here to take advantage of me, I see how you are.” He slowly walks back in to the house through the door Kevin had opened from him, being guided once again toward the basement stairs.

Walking through an empty kitchen they reach the stairs, and as Edd opens the door Kevin gives his ass a playful smack making the teen blush and giggle a little. Reaching the bottom of the stairs they see Ed and Eddy standing in front of the stereo as Eddy was hitting play on a CD, and Naughty by Nature’s O.P.P. begins. The two boys start to do what appeared to be a carefully choreographed but extremely goofy dance routine while singing the words to the song. Sitting down beside Nat with Kevin taking the seat beside him, he watched the goofy display his friends were doing to impress the girls. Everyone was laughing at the two boy’s antics, their overly exaggerated dance moves, along with a stumbles over the words here and there. 

Once the song had ended, with the two boys standing back to back with their arms crossed, the girls shooed them away and pulled out the CD from the stereo. Inserting their choice, they close the player and select the song they wanted and hit play, My Love (You’re Never Gonna Get It) by En Vogue began to play. The girls began to sing with the song and dance to the beat as Kevin leans over to Edd, “Seems like the girls are trying to send a message to those two.”

Edd looks over at his friends and see their smiling face, “They’re not paying attention to the words though are they,” he replies hiding his laugh behind his hand. Kevin laughs out loud clapping his hands together as the song states, “And now it’s time for a breakdown,” and the girls shake their fingers at the two boys while singing that they were never going to get never going to get it. Ed and Eddy on the other hand were just smiling away at the two vixens in front of them, either to stoned or just to clueless to get the implication of the song.

As the song came to its end Nat passes a CD to Kevin, “What do you think? Number 2?”

“You read my mind,” Getting to their feet and opening the player Nat inserts the CD as Kevin addresses the group, “Now we’ll show you how it’s done.” Hitting play Run-D.M.C.’s It’s Tricky begins to play and the two jocks perform the song flawlessly. Going from person to person chaotically, spouting off the lyrics with exaggerated hand movements while sometimes bending their knees to be more eye level with the individual. 

Pleased with themselves along with schooling the younger boys the two jocks sit back down and put the music back onto the mixed tape Kevin had brought with him while Nat packed another bowl. As the bong was passed to Edd and he brought it up to his lips, Kevin leans over and whispers, “Take it easy this time.”

Pulling his lips away from the opening he replies, “Yes daddy,” sarcastically, then smiles at his boyfriend, Kevin runs his hand down his face at his boyfriends sassy attitude. The get together continued with small talk between the friends, Ed and Eddy slowly breaking off from the conversation to schmooze with the two girls, Ed with May of course and Eddy showing an interest in Marie. Leaving the two jocks and the dork to talk amongst themselves for a little over an hour before Ed’s mother called down to the basement letting them know it was time for the girls to head home.

“I’ll walk ya’ll home,” Eddy said excitedly to the two of them as he climbed the stairs and quickly caught up to them. They could hear the girls saying their farewells to Mr. and Mrs. Hill as they left, Ed was busy rummaging through his movie collection to find something appropriate for this Halloween night.

Edd whined out, “Dear God not again,” and crumpling into Kevin’s shoulder as Nat pointed out I was a teenage zombie hooker to Big Ed.

“What? It looks like it might be funny,” Nat said looking at the back of the VHS case.

“But we’ve seen it 800 times already,” he called out from his hiding place in Kevin’s arms as the jock held him close enjoying the contact.

“Someone’s a dramatic stoner,” Nat sasses then asks Ed while waving the box at the boy, “Do you mind if I borrow it then?”

“Sure, go ahead, just bring it back to me at school.” Finally Ed came across the perfect movie for the evening, I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle, and as he stood to show off his selection a tap came at the basement window. Passing the tape to Nat he heads over to the window and opens it, “Hey, what ya doing?”

May’s voice could be heard, “Seeing if you can sneak me back in?”

“Go to the back door,” he closes the window and heads toward the stairs wagging his brows at his friends as he passes them. With much stealth he sneaks the girl the short distance from the back door to the basement stairs, reaching the bottom of the stairs the teenage couple made their way to Ed’s bed to watch the movie from there.

“By the way, Eddy said not to wait up for him,” May told the other two Ed’s as she sat down on the bed and leaned back into Ed’s arms. Hitting play on the VCR the five friends watched the campy British B grade horror film. This movie had everything its genre had to offer, a bad script, horrible acting, laughable plot devices, and even an exorcism on the motorcycle. Passing one final joint around at the start of the movie, they enjoyed the ridiculous nature of the film on a whole new level, cracking up uncontrollably at some of the more crazy death scenes. 

“He got staked in the ass,” Nat cackled at the face the guy made as he crashed his bike into a car, flipped through a window to land in a coffin with the lid coming crashing down to cover him up. 

By the time the movie had ended it was eleven o’clock and Edd was snoring softly leaning his head on Kevin’s shoulder, adjusting his weight for more comfort as his boyfriend turned slightly to look at him. Nat was not far behind the raven haired dork in terms of drowsiness, his head bobbing as the credits began to roll, looking behind him Kevin sees the couple laying on Ed’s bed spooning, May fast asleep in Ed’s arms. Tapping Nat’s shoulder the teal haired jock jumps a little as he was snapped back into the here and now, “Help me unfold this thing.” 

Standing he lifts Edd off the futon, the younger boy stood there half awake at this point, mainly being supported by his boyfriend’s arms. Nat reaches down and pulls the futon out into its flat position as Kevin looked around the dimly lit room for blankets, finding a stack by the stairs with a few pillows on top of it. Laying Edd down upon the small mattress he walks over to the stack and picks the bundle up then heads back over, finding Edd lying in the middle of the futon fast asleep with Nat passed out beside him. Unfolding the blanket with a quick flip of his wrists he covers the two of them up, then throws a pillow on top of Nat’s head, to which the boy grabs it and puts his head on top of it then quickly falls back to sleep again. Climbing under the blanket himself, Kevin puts his arm around his boyfriend and pulls him close to him, Edd sleepily rolls over and buries his face into Kevin’s chest snoring softly, receiving a gentle kiss to the forehead before Kevin quickly followed him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes there is a B-Grade horror movie out there called I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle, the trailer was enough for me to use the darn thing, it was funny.


	25. Some Cupid Kills with Arrows, Some with Traps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The quote means that there are two ways to fall in love. Love at first sight where cupid hits you with the arrow, or love that grows over time where cupid lays a trap. But love is by chance, something we never planned for nor ever saw coming.

The room was dark say for the light that was coming in through the small window perched high on the wall. May and Ed slept peacefully in the bed, while the three other boys shared the small fold out futon couch. Edd was sound asleep between Nat and Kevin with his boyfriends arm wrapped around his midsection loosely as he was now in a deep sleep. The contact had been nice and intimate for Kevin as he drifted off to sleep, a thought nagging the back of his mind as he lay there falling asleep, a wish that he could do this more often than he has been able to do. When he had decided to date Edd he hadn’t realized, or more like refused to realize, how many places in the world he wouldn’t be allowed to show his affection for his boyfriend.

School was definitely off limits, for Edd’s safety, for the bullies would surely increase their ire toward the boy if they discovered he was a homosexual. But if Kevin was truly being honest with himself, the thought of being discovered dating a boy scared the shit out of him. It wasn’t the harassment he would get at school that scared him, he could easily survive that with no problem, it was what his family would think of him that frightened him the most. Would his father still look at him with pride? Would his mother still love and treat him like her precious boy? What of his grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, would they still be happy to see him when he came to visit? Or would they all throw him away like yesterdays trash, to be forgotten amongst the throngs of unknown faces in the world? 

So it was with this fear in mind that he slowly learned that they didn’t have that many safe places where they could show their affection to one another without the fear of discovery. He found that their list only consisted of two places at the moment, here at Ed’s when Eddy wasn’t around and at Nat’s, and each one of those places only consisted of one room in that house, step out of that room and it was back to no touching. Even in those rooms though he found it difficult to initiate any form of contact, for he wasn’t sure how Edd would feel about holding hands in front of other people let alone go into a full on make out session. And to make matters worse everywhere Kevin turned he saw normal couples holding hands without fear of reprisal, or kissing while they were on a date to the movies without having to worry about being mocked, or cuddling at the lunchroom table at school without having to look over their shoulder. He knew from the beginning that this relationship was going to be a difficult one due to its nature, but he just never expected it to be this damn frustrating, to always be reminded on how unacceptable their love was in society eyes.

Kevin was now fast asleep and his arm which was around the boy as gone slack, allowing Edd to roll over into a more comfortable spooning position. He however unintentionally smacked his hand against Nat’s face as he rolled over and went to position it under his cheek. Waking with a start to the rough contact, Nat finds that their faces were only inches away from each other, not that it could really be help, since the futon was roughly the size of a full sized mattress. His first instinct was to roll over and face away from his friends boyfriend, giving them some distance as to be respectful of their relationship and of the sleeping boy, but he didn’t. Instead he lay there and looked at the serene face of the sleeping dork, as concerned thoughts played through his head. He liked Kevin, he did, they had been friends for many years now, and no truer a bond of brotherhood could be had between two people who were not related. Edd on the other hand was someone new to his life, but had quickly grown into someone he wanted to protect from the hardships of the world, and if he couldn’t do that he would at least help carry some of the burden for him. 

His first impression of Edd was of a boy who was very reclusive and shy, your atypical dork, but as time went by and he had opened up to him, he found that Edd wasn’t exactly what he had expected. He was smart, had a strange but good sense of humor, he was outgoing around his friends and braver then he had originally thought, and when he laughed it lit up his face and made his eyes shine. The concerns that raced through his head now were about the couple’s relationship, he had initially thought it was a good thing that Kevin had given it a chance. But now he was worried again, for he had noticed that the two of them had barely stole a glance at each other for longer than a second over the past week when they were in public. It was as though being discovered by Marie had driven a wedge between them, as if it had been a wakeup call to them to be careful. He understood the precarious situation that they were in, having been there himself in the past, but he also knew that love without expression was, like a rose that is cut from the bush, doomed to die.

Softly caressing Edd’s check with the back of his hand he whispers, “I’m sorry that the world is so cruel to people like us.” He kept his volume low so as to not wake either boy, “I’m sorry that the love you will seek, in this world, will always have such hardship to it.” If he could, he would make this world a better place for Edd and for people like them, if it was up to him he would make sure that Edd would have love in his life that was unafraid to be expressed openly. If Edd was his, he would make sure to kiss him freely and for the whole world to see, unashamed of whom they were. Retracting his hand he admonished himself for having such thoughts, this was his best friend’s boyfriend, and he really shouldn’t be thinking about him like that. Trying to justify the thought process, he told himself that there were many forms of love and that it was alright for him to love and care for Edd, he just couldn’t cross the line and make it romantic love, at least not while he was with Kevin.

Rolling over to face away from the dork, he adjusts a few times to make himself more comfortable on the small mattress, pulling the covers up to his shoulders. The arm he was laying on was stuffed under the pillow while the other one was wrapped around his chest. Mulling over his thoughts, he wondered why he was feeling this way all of a sudden, or was it something that has just been slowly building itself up over time. If it was caused by loneliness that could be easily be remedied, he would just have to ask someone out. But in reality he knew that a meaningless high school relationship that would probably be over in a month or less was something he really didn’t want anymore. For after tasting the fruit of love his mouth craved another bit, his arms yearned for another sweet embrace, and his heart desired its warmth. So were these feelings be the product of his heart’s desire to have what he had lost so long ago, just an illusion, something intangible that when reached for would vanish like smoke in the air. Or was this illusion the manifestation of jealousy over the fact that his friend was happily and in a relationship with someone he seemed to truly care for, were these thoughts and feelings just a lie.

In his sleep Edd had mistaken Nat’s back, which was inches away from him, as Kevin’s and slides his arm around his midsection, giving him a gentle squeeze. Nat looks over his shoulder at the boy and finds him snoring gently, his head tucked into his back between his shoulder blades, while Kevin spooned with the boy on the other side of the futon. Nat’s heart raced, was it because he was afraid of being discovered by Kevin in such an easily misunderstood position with Edd, or was it the sweet intimate contact that caused it to beat so? He wasn’t sure, but right now a small bit of happiness mixed in with guilt crept into his heart and he did nothing about the arm. He laid his head back down on the pillow and closed his eyes, hoping the situation would correct itself before morning, but for now he would guiltily enjoy the contact. If Kevin had an issue with him in the morning concerning this, he would hope that the size of the mattress would explain it away.

No, on second thought, he should respect his friend’s relationship, and his friendship with Edd by keeping his emotions, whether real of fake, in check. Reaching down he gently grabs the boys arm by the wrist and moves it from around his waist and back over to his side of the bed, placing it next to Kevin’s hand that was wrapped around Edd’s waist. Once the two hands were placed side by side Edd grabs a hold of Kevin’s and Kevin his, as it was meant to be in the first place Nat thought to himself.


	26. It was the Nightingale, and not the Lark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is from Romeo and Juliet act 3 scene 5, where Juliet is trying to get Romeo to stay just a little bit longer. Having been banished by the Prince for killing Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, he must be out of the city by dawn or face death. Warning: Explicit sexual content

The dawn broke the horizon and a stream of light comes flooding into the room through the small window at the top of the wall. The light was shining directly into Kevin’s face, rousing the jock from his deep slumber and back into reality. A small tickle to his nose and he readjusts his face to stop the sensation and felt the back of Edd’s head as he moved, realizing that the sensation was being caused by the boy’s hair. Opening his eyes he sees that Edd was spooning with him, and using his left arm as a pillow which was now wrapped around the boy, his left hand rubbing against his belly his right wrapped around his chest. Edd’s beanie had fallen off his head in the middle of the night and was only barely hanging on because it was pinned between Kevin’s arm and Edd’s head. Nuzzling his face into the back of Edd’s neck he softly kisses his skin there and adjusts his arms around the boy to more comfortably cuddle with him.

Edd repositions himself in Kevin’s arms, shifting his body a few times as he whined in his sleep, subconsciously complaining that the sensation was waking him up, his beanie falls to the floor. Lifting his head he looked around the room to see that Ed and May were still asleep upon his bed. The girl adjusting the blanket to hide her closed eyes from the coming dawn as Ed adjusted his position with her movement and pulled her in close to him. Looking past Edd he sees Nat scrunched up against the edge of the mattress with his back facing the two of them, he knew that it was a tight fit on this small futon but god did he really need that much space between them to feel comfortable.

Shrugging it off he lays his head back down on the pillow and lets out a sigh, he was fully awake now with no one to talk to. Looking at the back of Edd’s head he nuzzles the teen’s neck once again, sliding his hand under his shirt feeling the smooth skin of his belly and kissing his neck softly. Only getting the same whine as before as he shifted his weight once again to distance his neck from Kevin’s lips. Reaching up he nibbles Edd’s earlobe and whispers while the lobe was still between his teeth, “Wake up Edd,” he gnaws on the lob gently.

Muttering half asleep he replies as he shooed Kevin away from his ear, “Stop being mean, I was having such a good dream.”

“Hmm,” Kevin purred as he kissed behind his ear, “Dreaming about me are you?” Edd’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he buried himself under the covers and tried to wiggle his way out of Kevin’s arms which only made those arms tighten around him more. Chuckling softly he pulled the covers over his face as well to get at the boys neck once again, his sultry voice whispering into Edd’s ear, “There is nothing to be embarrassed about.” He kisses Edd right behind his jaw where it met his neck, “Can I tell you something,” Edd nods enjoying the touch wishing his dream from last night would come true, “I dreamt about you too.”

Turning his head to look Kevin in the eyes he sees the smirk upon his face and smacks him on the shoulder, “Liar,” then rolls back over to try and get back to sleep.

“No, really I did,” he gently coxes Edd to turn his head to face him. Staring into those sleepy blues he continues, “We were holding each other beneath a great oak tree that sat beside a babbling creek, staring up at the night sky as fireflies danced all around us, while a pair of beautiful voices sang a song of love.”

Edd looks at him for a few seconds then quietly bursts into laughter turning his head back around, “You’re too much and it’s too early for this.”

“Oh it’s never too early for this,” he ground his hips against Edd’s backside just slightly.

“Stop, we might wake up Nat.”

“Who cares,” his desire for the boys touch was getting the better of him and he turns Edd’s face back to him to clash their lips together roughly. He savored the sweet taste of the boy’s lips as he parted his own coxing the boy with his tongue to do the same, easing back he made the kiss a little gentler. Moving their lips in time, Edd gasps for breath when their lips parted as they adjusted their positions and he rolled over on his back to reach his boyfriend more easily. 

Kevin’s hand glided back up Edd’s shirt, a mental side note on how different it was for him that there were no breasts to grab a hold of, should he still play with his nipples? Would he enjoy it if he did, or would he look at him like he was an idiot? Rubbing his ruff thumb over the nipple there was no noticeable reaction from Edd, but the bud did slightly perk up at his touch. Doing it again and Edd broke the kiss as he gasped at the delightful sensation that was coming from Kevin’s touch. Taking that as a positive sign he gently pinches it between his thumb and forefinger to try and get the bud to perk up even more, for Edd it was a different sensation all together, not painful per say, just different than before. Getting the small bud the way he wanted it Kevin breaks the kiss and goes under the blanket and lifts Edd’s shirt. Teasing the nipple with the tip of his tongue as he circled around it, enjoying the small gasps for air he was producing from the boy, which Edd was trying to conceal from the world behind his hand. Seeing the bulge in Edd’s pants he kneads it gently with the palm of his hand as he nips at the nipple with his teeth teasingly, causing the boy under his attention to twitch at the sensation. 

Rolling over to face Kevin he bumps Nat with his back side, knocking the teal hair boy off the bed with a thump, “OOOO, I’m up.” He says in agony as he pulls himself up off the carpeted concrete floor, looking at the pair he had been sharing a bed with, he sees Edd’s disheveled appearance and the shirt that was still half way raised up, “If you two wanted privacy, you could have asked nicer, you know.”

“Way to go D,” Edd looks over at the bed and sees two head looks up at him with still half asleep looks in their eyes, apparently being startled awake by the loud thud that was Nat hitting the floor.

Edd blushes deeply and hides himself under the blankets, embarrassed that he had been discovered in such a state. Not to mention he felt awkward about it, like it had somehow shoved his socially perceived perverse sexuality in his friends faces. His thought process was like this, its one thing for them to know about his sexuality, it’s totally another thing to actually witness it, even if all they had done was hit second base. “Sorry Nat, didn’t mean to shove you off,” Kevin apologized and looked at the blankets that hid his boyfriend out of sight. Edd’s actions answered one of his questions from last night, the boy wasn’t going to be comfortable doing anything, even kiss, in front of anybody, and he let out an exasperated sigh.

Looking at his watch he sees that it was almost eight o’clock and that his parents should be up by now, “Hey Ed, do you mind if I use your phone,” Kevin asked as he put his feet on the floor.

“Yeah, it’s in the kitchen,” the teen called out from under the covers then returned to whispering to May.

Walking up the steps, he couldn’t help but feel a little jealous over what May and Ed had, wishing Edd could relax a little around his friends. Though he was frustrated with the situation he wasn’t going to give up, with time Edd should loosen up and relax. The whole situation of his friends knowing about him was still new and he was probably just giving them and himself some time to adjust to it. Opening the door to the basement he finds the phone on the wall next to the door, picking it up he dials his number and waits while the line rang before it was picked up on the other end. The deep voice of his father comes through the receiver, “This is the Barr residence, sorry no one is home to answer your call, please leave your,” Kevin hangs up and wonders where they could be.

Maybe they were at his grandparents house in Oakhills, but god that was a three hour trip and why didn’t they tell him before they left? Walking back down the stairs he sees that Nat was able to get the boy out of his hiding place from under the blankets and was talking to him. “There’s no reason to be embarrassed Edd, your friends care about you and accept you,” Nat said softly trying to be respectful of the boy’s feelings.

“Eddy,’ Edd interjected.

“Ok, most of them know and accept you,” Nat corrected himself.

“Yeah Double D, it’s cool if you want to go get you some,” Ed called out from under the blankets as Kevin’s foot hit the bottom step.

“I think what your friend is trying to say,” Kevin began as he came to sit down upon the futon, “Is that it’s alright to be yourself and that you don’t have to be ashamed.”

“Yeah that,” Ed added at the end.

“I’m not ashamed,” He lied, he had been taught that it was shameful, disgusting and that no one wanted to see something like that. “I just,” he stumbled with his words as he tried to find the right ones for what he was trying to say.

“Don’t want to throw it in their faces,” Nat finishes for him, “I get it Double Doubtful, just know that they aren’t judging you.”

“I know, I’ll try to keep that in mind in the future.”

Kevin slides his hand over to Edd’s and gently rubs his fore and middle finger against his hand to test the boy’s boundaries, not wanting to overstep again and cause him any more embarrassment. Edd opens his hand to invite him to take hold of it, Nat turns away from the interaction and stands up, “Well, I’ve got to get going,” being polite he adds, but secretly was hoping that they would decline his offer, “You guys coming?” 

“Naw,” Kevin said looking up at his friend, “I’ve got to go home and see where the parents are,” turning back to Edd, “You want to come?”

Edd nods, getting out of the bed he folds the futon back up, “I’ll see you later Ed,” he says to the pile of blankets his friend was under as he put his shoes back on.

“Later Double D,” Ed replied as his hand came out from under the blankets to wave his friend goodbye.

Walking out of the front door they said their farewells to Nat as he hopped in his car and drove off like a bat out of hell while AC/DC blared from his stereo. Walking the short distance from Ed’s to Kevin’s house the jock unlocks the front door and steps in calling out to his parents to let them know he was home, getting no response to his call. Allowing Edd into the house he closes the door behind them and takes a few steps in to the table in the hallway that had a note upon it.

Son,  
We went to go visit your grandmother and should be back before you get home from school on Monday. There are some leftovers in the refrigerator for you to have for dinner tonight. Be good and we will see you when we get home.  
Love,  
Mom and Dad.

Putting the note back down he looks around at the empty house and then to Edd, “So, you want to stay over tonight?”

“But there’s school tomorrow.”

Stepping closer to Edd he puts his arms around his shoulders and gives him an Eskimo kiss while he spoke, “Well, just tell your parents that your friend will make sure you’re there on time. What’s the worst they can say, no?”

“Well then,” he replied as he took a step back towards the door, grabbed the knob, “I should head over there and get my things.”

Kevin gave him a gentle smile, “Alright, I’ll be waiting.”

Stepping back out of the door Edd runs toward his house and in the door finding his mother and father in the kitchen having breakfast. “Good morning dear, have you eaten yet?”

Edd shock his head no and grabbed a piece of toast from the table and started spreading blueberry jam on top of it. Taking a bite he thought how best to argue his case to stay over at Kevin’s for the night, “Mother, Father,” he waits for them to acknowledge him, “Would it be possible for me to stay the night at a friend’s this evening?”

“It’s a school night dear,” his mother answered.

His father thought about it for a moment, “You promise you’ll make it to school tomorrow?”

“Jeffery,” his mother said in a harsh tone to admonish his father for contradicting her.

He folds down the newspaper he was reading, placing it in his lap, “I don’t see why not Carol, our son is a good boy and wouldn’t do anything that we would disapprove of, and it’s not like he asks for any special privileges all that often.”

Settling down just a little she had to agree with her husband on those points, picking up her coffee she looks at her son and asks before taking a sip, “Who will you be staying with?”

“Kevin,” he replied meekly.

She tips her cup forward midway through a drink and wipes off a little bit of stray liquid as she set the cup down, “That older boy?”

“Yes mother,” he replied yet again quietly.

“He’s not funny is he?”

“Oh he is quiet hilarious.”

“Edd you know what I meant, is he gay?”

“Carol,” his father admonished.

“No he’s not,” Edd fibbed, sure Kevin wasn’t gay but he wasn’t entirely straight either.

Turning to her husband she countered, “I just want to be sure that our son isn’t going to be molested in the middle of the night Jeffery.” Turning away from him and back to her coffee she spoke but to no one in particular, “I just can’t figure out why this older boy wants to hang out with our son.”

“Did you ever think it’s because they are friends and that Edd is very mature for his age,” his father looked more worried about his wife jumping to conclusions then whether or not her fears could become true, he trusted his son’s judgment.

“So,” Edd spoke sheepishly, “Can I still go?”

His father looked at his mother then to his son, “Sure sport, go have fun.”

Edd quickly left the room to get his things, but as he left he could hear his mother, “I will never forgive you if he gets hurt.”

Getting his books and a change of clothes together for the next day, he quickly jumps in the shower and brushes his teeth, admonishing himself for waiting so long after waking up to do this. But hell a lot of things happened the instant he woke up, and now he can’t believe that he actually kissed Kevin before he had the chance to brush the dragons breath away, oh god. Shaking these thoughts out of his head he finished cleaning up by putting on his Deodorant and shoving his toothbrush and the rest of his hygiene supplies into his overnight bag.

Running down the stairs he said goodbye to his parents as he ran out the door, “He seems excited,” his father shakes his head as he spoke, “See Carol, it’s a good thing, he is making more friends.”

“I know, I just hope we can trust them.”

Running across the street once again, Edd knocks on the door eagerly waiting for Kevin to answer it, and as each second ticked by he wondered if he might be in the shower and can’t hear him. Should he just open the door and walk in, no that’s rude, but if he is unable to hear him how long would he have to wait before Kevin opened the door. In reality it was less than a minute before the door swung open and the red head greeted him again, “Hey, I was beginning to think you were ditching me,” a joking smile upon his face as he allowed him to enter.

“No, it just took some convincing to get my mother to agree, then I had,” Kevin puts his finger to Edd’s lips to stop him from babbling.

“Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much when you’re nervous.”

“You, all the time” Edd takes his overnight bag from off his shoulder, “Where can I?”

“Oh, put it up in my room,” he said stepping aside to allow Edd to head up the stairs, “What do you want to watch?”

“Anything’s fine really,” he replied as he made it to the top of the stairs, dropping the bag off he comes back down to see that Kevin was fast forwarding the VHS tape through the previews, two bowls of cereal sitting on the coffee table before him.

Handing him the bowl of food he hits play as the opening for Batman Returns begins and the Cobblepot mansion comes into view. Sitting back they enjoyed their crunchy meal as the classic Tim Burton style unfolded before them, cuddling up together after they were finished with their food. Enjoying each other’s company and the intimacy of the contact, not wanting to have to get up once the credits began, “You pick the next one,” Kevin says as he reluctantly sits up to take the bowls into the kitchen.

Walking over to the shelves that held all their movies Edd looked through them and pulled one out, “Why do you have this one?” He asked as he displayed the cassette’s case to Kevin.

“What can’t a man own Beauty and the Beast?”

“Just didn’t peg you for a Disney fan is all.”

“We get them for my little cousins, to keep them occupied when they visit,” He takes the case and inserts the cassette into the VCR then hits play, once again fast forwarding through all the previews of upcoming movies and VHS releases. Lying down on the couch he has Edd spoon with him as the movie begins, the two of them once again enjoying the intimate contact and closeness of the other. 

Edd had to look up at Kevin a few times in disbelief and laugh as the jock sang along with the movie at several of the catchy tunes, “I knew it, you’re a closeted Disney fan.”

“Guilty as charged,” he smiles at the dork who was laying his chin on his chest, “What can I say I’ve enjoyed them since I was a kid.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Edd turned his head again to watch the movie and listen to his boyfriends heart beat as Kevin kissed the top of his head. The rest of the day was spent taking a short nap on the couch together, followed by a few bouts of Street Fighter 2, a call to his parents to assure them he was having a good time, then enjoying the reheated leftovers Kevin’s parents had left for their son.

At nine o’clock the two of them got ready for bed, Kevin not complaining about the early bedtime for it meant more cuddle time with Edd and just maybe a few extracurricular activities as well. Climbing in the two of them wasted no time in locking their lips together and exploring each other’s bodies with their hands.

Their clothed erections rubbing against each other, Edd’s lithe body pressed up against Kevin’s bigger stronger one. Edd’s hands travel down his boyfriends strong back to the waistband of his pajama bottoms, slipping a few of his fingers under it, feeling the soft, warm flesh of the top of his ass cheeks. Wondering to himself why they had even put on their pajamas in the first place, was it just to have the fun of taking them off slowly, teasing each other with the act. 

With little patience Edd begins to pull those pajama bottoms down, “Wow Edd slow down.”

“Why?”

“You don’t have to rush, we’ve got time,” he replied while kissing Edd’s neck.

“I’ve waited long enough for this,” Edd’s voice was filled with a lustful tone.

This was confirmation for Kevin that Edd was in fact a virgin in this regard, he had a small hope that Edd might have a little bit of experience, for he had none when it came to sex with men. This put a little bit of pressure on him, what if he hurts the boy, he doesn’t want to brag but he does have a decent package after all. Or his fear that he wouldn’t be able to please Edd, the male anatomy being so much more different than the female one, and he wouldn’t know what buttons to push. But first things first the clothes, he would just wing the rest and hope for the best, with time comes experience after all, he just needed to pay attention to what Edd had to say and learn as he went. Lifting his hips he let the boy pull off his clothes then in turn help him out of his own, now what? Edd takes the lead and slides down his torso, taking Kevin in his mouth, his hips up by Kevin’s head his cock facing down toward the mattress. Edd had pretty much figured that it would take Kevin some time to ease into doing anything with him orally, if ever really. It’s one of those things with straight men, they don’t want to see another man’s dick and certainly don’t want it up by their face and most definitely nowhere near or in their mouths.

So it was a surprise to him when he felt Kevin’s strong hands shift his hips and his warm wet mouth begin to suck on his cock. Sure he was inexperienced and sticking to just sucking on the head while using his hand to stroke the shaft, but he was at least trying, that’s more than Edd can say about his other previous experiences.

”Alright, step one of pleasing your man is underway,” Kevin thought to himself, “Now what is step two, girls get wet when turned on but I don’t think boys do, well not there anyways, so should I maybe use oil? No that dissolves condoms, spit maybe?” 

Not really wanting to admit his ignorance on this but not wanting to hurt the boy he comes off of Edd and asks, “Hey Edd, what are we going to use for lube?”

“You don’t have any?”

“I’ve never needed it before,” Kevin was a little flustered, he should have already thought about this, and not during the time he would need it.

“We’ll just have to compromise then,” his nerves were on edge now. Yes he really did want to do this, he really wanted to have sex with Kevin, but now that it was about to happen his insides were in a knot and he could feel his hands shaking with excitement and fear.

“How do you want to do this?” Kevin asks, “What position I mean?”

Seeing how the older boy probably had more experience it was logical to let him have control, “You on top.”

Flipping Edd over onto his back he reaches into his nightstands drawer and pulls out a condom from its hiding place and unwraps it, rolling it on with a few strokes down the shaft of his cock. Positioning his arms behind Edd’s knees he lifts the boy’s hips up and lets a globe of saliva fall from his lips onto the boy’s hole, rubbing it around with the tip of his dick. Taking another good amount from his mouth he slicks up is cock, then another to Edd’s hole, placing the tip again at the entrance he looks Edd in the eyes, “Now breathe and let me know if it hurts.”

Pushing in slowly he watches as Edd’s face scrunches up then comes to a stop, allowing the boy to adjust to him, lord this was going to take a minute he only had the head in now. Letting another globe fall to where his cock met Edd’s rectum, he pulls out just a little to allow it to moisten the tip then pushes back in slowly until he was met with resistance again then repeated the process. All the while make sure that Edd was doing alright by asking him questions to ensure he wasn’t in too much pain. Though it was a lot more work then with girls, it was still filled with pleasure for him, however his main concern was still to share that pleasure with Edd. To not be the only one having a good time, he wanted to hear the boy moan with pleasure, not just pant as he rode out the pain. Over the course of a few minutes Edd’s muscles began to relax and Kevin was able to move more easily inside the boy, still taking it at a slow pace however and making sure he was alright, not wanting to push his luck and cause him more pain. 

Edd’s panting slowly subsided and turned to soft moans, “You doing alright?”

Edd nods and breath’s out shakily, “I think you can move a little faster if you want.”

Picking up the pace to a nice easy rhythm he pulls one arm out from behind Edd’s legs and leans forward to kiss the boy while reaching down to stroke his cock. Surprised to find that he had started to pre-cum, and not just a small amount, the boy’s belly button was full and his stomach was now starting to get covered by the substance. Edd’s breathing was in time with his thrusts, whispering his gratification at what Kevin was doing for him, mixed in with a moan when Kevin’s thrust hit him just the right way. 

Kevin’s lips trail down Edd’s neck and to his nipple as he went to sit up, to Edd the sensation of his lips was electric, as though every place he touched caused him pleasure he had never experienced before. Pulling the boy up into his lap Kevin wraps his arms around him, grabbing his ass and using his grip there to slide the boy up and down his cock, while kissing him in a needy passionate way. The head of Edd’s cock sliding along his stomach, slicking it up with the pre-cum that continues to ooze from the tip, lubing up his cock even more. With the combination of his prostate being massaged by Kevin’s cock and the slick gliding sensation against his stomach, Edd really didn’t need to touch himself, but felt that he was already close to release. Panting he moans out Kevin’s name in quick succession as the jock was getting close as well and was picking up the pace. Throwing his head back on a moan his cock twitched with each spurt it shot, flinging its mess wildly in the air, landing on the both of them. 

This was a first for Kevin, whenever he jerked off he would shot his load onto some Kleenex never onto himself, but he found this to be rather hot none the less. To know that his lover just got off on what he was doing by such a simple expression as his cum smacking him in the chest and face was the push that drove him over the edge. Moaning loudly he thrusts up, emptying the contents of his balls into the reservoir of the condom, breathing heavily as he slowed his pace and rode out his orgasm, deeply kissing Edd tenderly on the mouth, whispering his love between kisses.

Slowly pulling out he removes the condom and throws it into the trash can close to his nightstand, “You should really flush that.”

“Naw its cool,” he cradles the boy in his arms as he shifted them back into a laying position. Pulling Edd up close to him he hummed with content as he spooned with the boy, “God that was good.” 

Edd was a little bit shocked that he was now no longer a virgin as far as he was concerned, how easy the act was in retrospect, “Yeah it was great.” But how quickly it was over, could they do it again, now? “I think I need some tutoring in my technique, can you show me that equation again please.”

“Now?” Edd nods excitedly, “I don’t think I have another condom,” Kevin runs his hand through his hair and looks at his boyfriend who pouted with disappointment. Kissing him softly on the cheek, he whispers, “Don’t worry Edd, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to do that again, and as far as your technique goes it was amazing.”

Oh my god, Kevin likes having sex with him, Edd’s heart could explode at this very moment and he could drop dead, but he would die a happy man because he felt loved and desired all at the same time. The two of them spent the time before they fell asleep kissing and holding each other’s hands. Talking about nothing in particular or of great import, just expressing their love and interest in each other. Edd falls asleep first, his head resting in the crock of Kevin’s shoulder, the jock quickly joining him in a deep sleep, both feeling the love the other had for them. 

In the morning the two of them rushed to get ready, in the excitement of last night events Kevin had forgotten to set the alarm. Making a mad dash for the front door, Kevin stops Edd before he opens it and kisses him deeply, expressing the love he showed the boy last night and hoped to show him for a long time to come.


	27. For, by my Soul, I’ll Ne’er Acknowledge Thee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title comes from Romeo and Juliet act 3 scene 5 when Juliet’s Father berates her after she has refused to marry Paris, because she has already married Romeo, though her parents don’t know that part. He is demanding that she do what he wants her to do, and if she still refuses, he will throw her out on the street to starve, giving her no choice in the matter, and leading to her desperate plan with the Friar.

Kevin closed the door behind him and locked it, jogging down the walkway toward Nat’s car which was waiting for them at the curb. Playing around with Edd a little as he passed by pulling the front of his beanie over his eyes and gently tapping him on top of the head, calling shotgun as he made it to the car first. Climbing into the car he turns to Nat as he closed the door, a shit eating grin plastered upon his face, “Sup,” he says as he nods his head upwards to greet his friend.

The grin on Kevin’s face and the fact that Edd was walking out of Kevin’s house in the morning could only mean one thing. Shaking his head at his friend in disbelief that he would do that in his mother’s house, he replies to him softly as the back door opens, “You’re a dog.” Kevin tilts his head back and howls, then barks a few times while he inched closer to his friend’s face, before placing his head on his shoulder while panting. “Get off me, you asshole,” Nat shoves his friend’s head off his shoulder with the opposite hand, then reaches up to start the car.

Leaning his elbow on door he propped his chin in his hand, “Who pissed in your Wheaties?”

Ignoring his friend, he adjusted the rearview mirror so he could see the person in the back seat, “Good morning Edd.”

“Good morning Nathan, I hope you are doing well,” he replied, Nat could see that he was extremely happy as well, as though he did not have a care in the world.

Pulling out of the parking space and toward the intersection, “Best as can be expected,” he replied as he turned on the blinker. Turning on to the street they began their trip to the high school, Kevin leaned back in his seat feeling rather good about where he was in the world. The love he had shared last night with Edd felt right, it made his heart light and happy to recall their loving embrace and put a smile upon his face. He has never felt this way about anyone before in his life and he was sure that he might never be able to duplicate this feeling ever again with anyone else. His concerns about the infrequency on which they got to express their affection for one another had been banished last night, and he knew now that he just had to be patient. That they would find a time and a place to express their love, even if it was just with simple things like holding hands or kissing each other, love will find a way. 

Their day went well, the affirmation of their love had put a pep in their step and made them feel like they were walking on cloud nine. Barbra Barr’s day on the other hand did not go as good as she had originally hoped it would. Waking up that morning after the long drive home in the middle of the night, she was still groggy as she stood in the kitchen pouring her coffee. Hearing her son run down the stairs as his friend honked his horn outside, she stepped to the kitchens doorway to tell him goodbye and to wish him a good day. Nearly dropping the mug in her hand when she saw him kissing another boy at her front door, quickly she hid herself around the corner trying to collect her thoughts. Surely she had seen wrong because her son wasn’t gay, there was no way in hell that what she thought she had seen could be real. The door closes and she hears the lock slide into place, slowly she walks to the front window and as carefully as she could peered around the curtain to look at the two of them.

The boy was so young, too young, there is no way Kevin would do that with a boy that age, right? Her memory kicks into gear and she recalls that the boy had been over to her house before, he was the little dorky boy that Kevin had been rude to as he left the house that morning. As the car drove off she sets her coffee down on the end table beside the couch and rushes up the stairs into Kevin’s room. If Kevin had done something with that boy there would proof, something in here that would confirm her fears or reassure her hopes. Opening the door, the first thing she noticed was that there was no makeshift bedding on the floor that the boy would have slept in, like there was the last time he had stayed over. But that didn’t prove that they had slept in the same bed together, they might have already put the blankets away. But a small part of her knew that her son wasn’t that big of a neat freak and would have just left them for when he came home this evening. And would have only taken care of them after she had nagged him a few times about it. Pulling back the blankets she checked the sheets for any telltale signs of sexual activity, but there were none. 

Plopping upon the bed she covers her face with her hands as her emotions got the better of her, and tears of frustration and worry sprang into her eyes. Wiping away the tears before they fell, she spots it, a small square golden wrapper with the profile of a Greek solder on the package and the words Trojan above it. The open package was lying upon the floor by the bed just barely covered by the blanket that was draping off the bed. With shaking hands, she picks it up and examines it, it possible it was an old wrapper that has long gone unnoticed until now, but she had to be sure. Leaning forward she tips the trashcan that sat beside his bedside table towards her, on top of sever pieces of paper lay the used condom. Letting out a shocked shaking gasp, she releases the tip of the trashcan and lets it fall back into position, sitting back she let the realization that she couldn’t dismiss what she had seen sink in. “Well, at least he used protection,” she said as she sniffled, trying to contain the tears as all her fears about his relationship with this boy came crashing down upon her.

Slowly she walked back down the stairs and sat in her favorite chair, picking up the phone she dialed her husband’s work, the call went straight to his desk at the candy factory. Once he picked up his phone and did the standard greeting for the company, she spoke in a very serious voice, “Richard, we need to talk.”

Kevin and Edd went through their school day with a smile upon their faces, completely unaware of being discovered by Kevin’s mother that morning. They accompanied Nat to the gym after school for their scheduled work out and self-defense training, sneaking in a gentle touch every now and then. By ways of the guise of a helpful hand that was showing Edd how to position his back, or spotting the dork as he lifted weights or a congratulatory pat on his backside. On the way home from the gym Kevin snogged with his boyfriend in the back seat, since the sun had already set they were relatively well hidden from view on the back streets of the small town. Only breaking away from each other and straightening up in the seats once Nat had told them that they were getting close to their homes. Parking in front of Kevin’s house five minutes later they said their goodbye’s to their friend, allowing him to drive off before very cautiously saying farewell to each other.

Opening the door to his home, Kevin’s first thought was to run up the stairs to his room and call Edd, to talk to him for as long as he could, or until the dorks protests of having to study won out. Stepping in he closes the door and takes a step toward the stairs, “Kevin,” his father’s voice calls from the adjoining living room.

“Yeah,” he calls out as he steps down from the first step and comes around to stand in the door way of the room. He sees his father sitting in his recliner facing the doorway, his mother stands up from her chair to turn and face him, neither one of them looked very happy at the moment. Did he forget to take the trash to the curb, or clean up his mess from last night, what could be on their minds that made them look so mad at the moment.

His father’s voice was stern and agitated, “Where have you been?”

“At the gym with Nat,” his confusion was rising.

His father’s voice was venomous, “You weren’t out with that young boy were you?”

“What’s this about,” why were they asking him about Edd, his fears started to pool in the pit of his stomach, what could they have heard that would make him ask that question like he did?

“I saw you,” his mother said weakly, “Kissing him this morning.”

“W-what,” he stammered with a shaky breath. The bottom of his stomach had dropped out and he felt sick, his nerves were all on fire, and his vision blurred for a moment as he felt as though he was about to hit the floor as his knees were about to give out on him.

His father’s eyes narrow , “Are you a faggot?”

His mother turns to her husband, “Richard.”

“What? Why beat around the bush,” he turns back to his son, “Answer me boy.”

“No,” he responds meekly, his eyes cast to the floor.

His father’s tone did not improve, “Then why were you kissing that boy?”

“I don’t know,” he voice was still low, he didn’t know what he was going to do now, all his fears had just been realized, were they going to cast him out or send him away for treatment?

“You don’t know,” his father stands up threateningly, “You just don’t kiss a boy without a reason Kevin.” Kevin, not really wanting to have this conversation, walks quickly into the kitchen, “Are you listening to me mister,” his father following close behind him.

“God please, please make this go away,” but it didn’t, “I will do whatever you ask, just please let them still love me.” Why did this have to happen to him? “Why were you even here?” 

His mother answered, “Your father got called back for an important meeting.”

His father interrupts, “So you’re not even going to try and deny that you were kissing him.” Kevin just looks at him speechless as he put the kitchen islander between them, “Are you some pedophile?” Kevin looked at his father with disgust at that accusation, “Your mother says the boys much younger then you.”

“He’s only a little over two years younger,” he was now staring daggers at his father, “And what of it, you were twenty-one when you met mom, and she was only seventeen.”

“You think his parents are going to care what other people do when they find out, and they will eventually,” he runs his hand down his face in frustration. “And how about the courts, huh, they might charge you as an adult since your so close to turning eighteen,” his tone turns pleading, “Think of your future Kevin.”

“First let me answer your question from earlier, I’m more than likely bi and I love him, and he loves me, so doesn’t that count for anything.” There he said it, now let the pieces fall where they may.

“Not in my house,” he roared, “No son of mine is going to be some cock sucking queer,” turning his back toward his son he took several deep breathes to calm himself.

“Kevin honey, we’re only thinking about your future,” his mother added, “If his parent find out, they could press charges and you would be sent off to prison then.”

“And when that happens you can forget about the army,” his father turns back around and motions with his arm violently, “There goes your GI bill for college. And if by some small chance you get a light sentence and manage to go to college, do you honestly think any reputable company will hire some child molester with a felony on his record?” He looks at his son intently waiting for an answer but only getting a sad look from Kevin in response, he slams his hand down on the cabinet making everyone jump, “No, they won’t.” 

Frustrated that his son was apparently not getting what he was trying to tell him, he decides to take matters into his own hands and protect him from himself. “That’s it, while you’re under my roof I forbid you to see this boy,” pointing his finger in his sons face, “If I catch wind that you have even looked in his direction I will drag your ass down to the police station myself and turn you in.” Stepping back, he puts some distance between them, “I will not sit by and let you commit a crime and influence that innocent boy into your perverse ways. I am ashamed to even think about what you have already done to him, but I most certainly will not let it continue.”

Kevin’s face was contorted in pain, not only because his parent’s did not understand that both Edd and himself could truly be in love and only saw their relationship as disgusting and unnatural, but also for the fact that he was being forced to no longer see the one he loved. “Now get fuck out of my sight, I don’t want to see your face anymore tonight, go pray for forgive of your sins, for god knows I can’t right now.”

Leaving the room with his eyes cast to the floor and at a quick pace Kevin climbed the stairs and shut his bedroom door. Falling upon his bed he did something that he hasn’t done in a long time, he literally broke down and cried his eyes out. Every threat his father made or nasty word he said replaying in his head over and over again, he mourned his broken heart and the broken hearts of his parents. Pulling the pillow on his bed close to him, he cried into it to muffle the sounds of his sobs, only to catch Edd’s smell still present upon it. Sitting up quickly he throws it across the room, as he screamed and raged at the fates for the love he was forced to give up, lest he lose the love of his family forever.


	28. Our Revels Now Are Ended

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is a quote from the Tempest act 4 scene 1 which basically means that the merry making is over and done. Also when you join the army they ask you to put down three places you would like to be stationed, at least they did when I went in. And they will try to put you there, sometimes it doesn’t work out, like if you want Hawaii you can forget it lol, if you put down some place like let’s say Alaska you will more than likely get it.

Edd fell asleep that night a little worried, he was certain that Kevin was going to call him when he got home, he had hinted to it when they had said their goodbyes earlier that evening. But not a word was heard from him, oh well he was probably busy studying for that test he had the day after tomorrow and lost track of time, and was being polite by not calling so late. There was nothing to worry about he told himself as he rolled over in bed, trying to get more comfortable so he could drift off to sleep. Falling peacefully asleep a few moments later, he dreamed of their embrace as they lay in their post coital afterglow, Kevin talking about his plans to go into the army, after he graduated, to help pay for college. Reassuring Edd that he would try and get stationed at the local army base in Summerville, so that he would be closer to him, so that they could see each other on the weekends. But if the worst case did happen and he was sent further away, Kevin reassured him that their love would find a way and to not worry about it so much, he would be there for him, always. Hopefully seeing each other during the holidays, or maybe finding some way for Edd to come visit him during his summer breaks, both of them keeping their fingers crossed that he would get his first choice of Summerville.

“I swear that my heart belongs to you, and no one else, until the end of time,” he gives Edd a gentle kiss upon the lips. “Besides, I’ve only signed up for four years, just long enough to get me through college,” a warm smile upon his face, “We can survive that, can’t we?”

“Yes,” he returned the smile, “I know we can.” Nuzzling his head in the crock of Kevin’s neck, drowsiness started to take hold of him as he whispered, “I love you.”

Kevin kisses the top of his head, “I love you too,” and the memory ends as Edd had fallen asleep shortly afterwards. The rest of his dreams that night was of his middle school days with his friends, the misadventures they use to have and the trouble they would cause because of them. 

Waking the next morning to his alarm blaring on his bedside table, reaching over he turns it off and groggily heads for the bathroom to get ready for the day. Enjoying how the warm water invigorated him, bringing him out of the sleepiness that was desperately clinging to him. Dressed and fed with his book bag over his shoulder he walks out of the door of his home and waits on the front steps for Nat to pull up or for Kevin to walk out of his door and join him on the steps. Only having to wait for ten minutes for Nat to arrive and park across the street in front of Kevin’s house, honking the horn to get his friends attention, and hopefully make him hurry up and get out of his house.

Edd opens the back door of the car and hops in, “Good morning Nat.”

“Hey Edd,” he replied as he laid into the horn a few more times in quick succession.

“Hey sock head,” Edd looks out the window of the car, “You too good for us, now that you’re friends with the jocks?” Eddy was noticeably agitated standing across the street in front of his house with his hands in the air.

Rolling down the window he calls out to them, “I’m sorry Eddy I’ll see you at school.” Nat opens the door and runs up to Kevin’s front door.

“Whatever,” Eddy huffed as he turns and continued toward the bus stop.

Ed could be heard saying, “Come on Eddy, leave him alone, it’s good that he has more friends.” And in a mock swoon, “Our little Double D is all grown up and leaving the nest.” 

Rolling up the window slowly he sits back in the seat, seeing Nat slowly walking back to the car, pausing when he reached it, he looks up at the second floor window. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw the curtain in Kevin’s room fall back into place, like he was trying not to be notice as he watched them. Getting back in the car he looks in to the back seat at Edd, “You can jump up here, Kevin’s not going to school today.”

“Is he sick?”

“His mom didn’t say, just said he wasn’t going.” Edd gets out of the car and runs around to the front seat and turns to look at the house as he felt someone watching him. It was the living room window’s curtain that fell back into place this time, slowly he opens the door to the car, giving the building a curious look as though it would tell him what was going on.

Siting he says in a grim tone, “You ever have one of those days where you knew you should have stayed in bed.”

He turns the key to start the car, “All the time man.” 

Kevin watched from his bedroom window as they did a U-turn to get to the main road, his bedroom door opening behind him and he turns from the window quickly, siting upon his bed. “Are you ready to go?” Kevin gave her an incredulous look, “Come on now, we mustn’t keep the good Father waiting,” she turns to head back down the stair and to her car, Kevin following sluggishly behind her. His dad had called their church late last night and got Kevin a meeting with the priest for, in his opinion, some much needed spiritual guidance. 

The drive to the church was a quiet one, his mother was unable, or unwilling one will never know, to converse with him let alone look at him. For when she did, she no longer saw the little boy she raised to know the difference between right and wrong. All she saw at this moment was a stranger, a sinner, a deviant who was corrupting a young innocent boy into his perverse ways, and it broke her heart to think that he saw nothing wrong with it. She has already had to cancel a visit from her brother-in-law, who was going to bring the twins over to see their aunt and uncle, for fear that Kevin might corrupt his son who was close to that boys age. Thankfully the twins went to catholic school and not to the local high school, something she now wished she had done for Kevin, even though the tuition is more expensive.

Pulling up into the church parking lot, she gets out of the car but Kevin was reluctant at first but follows behind her after she turns and gives him a disapproving stare. Entering they dip their right hand in the basin of holy water and made the sign of the cross then made their way down the row of pews. Along the right and left walls of the church was five tall stain glass windows each depicting a biblical scene of great importance. And seven statues on each wall fourteen in total, that depicted the stations of the cross starting with Jesus being condemned to death and ending with his resurrection. Reaching the front pew, they kneel and again make the sign of the cross before entering the pew, his mother pulls out a small wooden bench connected to the divider in front of them and kneels upon it and begins to pray. Kevin looks upon the alter with its large cross placed above the tabernacle where the body of Christ was stored before kneeling to pray.

His prayers were for god to please help his parents to stop looking at him with disappointment in their eyes, whether it was through coming to some understanding about him or learning to forgive him for his perceived sins, he cared not. He just wanted them to look at him like they used to, like they were proud of him, like they loved him, like he was their son. A few moments later Father O’Malley comes up to their pew and his mother looks up from her prayers and stands, smiling at the man who greeted her, “Barbra, it’s good to see you.”

She hugs the man, “Thank you for seeing us on such short notice Father.”

He pulls back and looks at her, seeing the sadness in her eyes, he knew it must be dire, “It’s no trouble,” he pauses for a moment, contemplating his words, “How can I be of assistance? Your husband didn’t go into great detail about the matter, just that Kevin needing God’s guidance desperately.”

She looked around at the few other church goers there to pray for some reason then returns her gaze to the priest, “Can we talk privately?”

“Of course my child,” he motions with his right hand toward his office, “This way.” Leading them off to the left of the alter he opens a small door that went into a room with open lockers that held the robes that the priest and his attendants wore during mass, at the far end were two doors. Opening the door on the left they enter his office that had windows that faced the small garden behind the church, sitting behind the desk he motions for them to take the two seats in front of it. Kevin takes in the room, besides the desk the small room was lined with bookshelves that he assumed were filled with religious text of one nature or another. Leaning back in his chair he looks at the two of them, “How can I help?”

She opens her mouth but closes it trying to think how to word this, she loved her son and didn’t want to cause him embracement, but she was ashamed about what he was doing with his life and knew he needed help. “My son has recently begun being,” she paused for a moment hesitating, but continues, “Attracted to the same sex.” Kevin lets out a groan of annoyance and frustration.

“I see,” he intertwines his fingers together, his forefingers pointed up and together taping his lips in thought. “Is this a recent development or have you noticed anything suspicious in his behavior in the past?”

She scrunches up her face in thought, “I can’t think of anything, so I would say recent.”

“Kevin,” the boy looks up at the priest, “Is it true that this is a recent development, or have you committed sodomy in the past?”

He was rather embarrassed about talking about his sex life, even if it was about a girl, he wasn’t someone to brag about his sexual exploits, even if it was considered something boys did. His mother taps him on the leg and motions with her head telling him to answer him, “It’s just recent.”

“Good, then there is a chance that repairing the damage Satan has done won’t be too difficult.”

Kevin was flabbergasted, he never once thought of someone’s sexuality as being the influence of the devil, “How can you say that, I’m not being influenced by some patriarchal demon.”

“I understand Kevin, you don’t think that there is anything wrong with you,” he lets out a sigh as he thought about what to say next. “But you yourself just admitted that you have never had these feelings before,” Kevin stammers to explain himself but the man continues not giving him the chance, “And the devil is cunning. He whispers sweet temptations in your ear that seem like the right thing to do at the time, but are an elaborate trap to claim your soul.”

“Is there anything we can do to help my son?” Her expression was one of desperation with a pleading look in her eyes.

“Yes, with prayer, faith and guidance we can set him on the right path again,” he turns his attention back to Kevin. “Son, having these impulses doesn’t make you a sinner, it is when you act upon them that you are sinning,” he sees Kevin’s resolve beginning to break, “It is like a disease, you won’t even notice that it’s happening at first, but slowly over time the way you think starts to changes and before you realize it you believe that it is alright to lie with another man, and that’s how he gets you.”

“But it doesn’t feel like I am doing anything wrong,” Kevin was beginning to start to feel shame under this man’s speech, “You know the pain in your soul that tells you that you have done something wrong, the guilt you would get if you told a lie.”

“I know Kevin, but that is a part of the enemy’s great deception, you don’t think you have done anything wrong. But the bible tells us that it is, Leviticus clearly states that man shall not lie with another man or face the fires of hell. God destroyed the city of Sodom for the sin of homosexuality, Romans 1:26 speaks against it as well.” He pulls out his bible and quotes, “Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” Closing the book, he puts it back on the desk and looks at the boy seriously, “You don’t want to go to hell do you?”

“No.”

“You want to see your family in heaven don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then allow me to guide you back to the path God intended for you, let me help you see the errors of your ways,” he studies the boy who sat in the chair confused and desperate for the love of his family once again.

Kevin though about this, could it be as the priest had said, was he really being taken from what was the right path for his life by giving in to the temptation of the flesh. Then he started doubting everything he felt for Edd, could they really have a meaningful and lasting relationship, no future with children playing at their feet, stereotypes started flying around his head. Would they last? Could they last? Was there hope for happiness in what society had deemed as unnatural and perverse? Should he forsake the love he felt for Edd for the love of his family and the acceptance of society as well as the possibility of having children in the future? His mind was clouded with doubts, fears, anxiety and worry over everything that was to come in his life, not to mention the possibility of Edd’s parents finding out about them and sending him to jail. Slowly he looks the priest in the eyes and nods, “Help me father,” and sobbing, “I have sinned.”

“Good, you have made the first step to your recovery,” Turning to Barbra, “I would like to see him every day after school from now on.”

“Of course father, anything you need just let us know, and thank you.”

“With any luck, we can undo what Satan has done to the poor child,” he stands and leads them toward the door, “fear not for your child, for I know that God in his infinite wisdom and mercy will forgive him his sin,” 

“Thank you again father, we are in your debt,” they step out of the office and make their way back home. Giving Kevin strict instructions to follow what his father had told him last night and to do what the priest instructs him to do, for only then will god forgive him and so would they.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry but these are things I have personally had to hear all my life, from family, ex friends and people in society that thought it was their duty to help the “sinner” see the error of his ways.


	29. Gentles, Do Not Reprehend: If You Pardon, We Will Mend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (While in dogeza) I’M SO SORRY, gomenasai, Sli’kha, Przepraszam, Mujhe Maaf Kardo, Pardoname, Je suis desolee, Lo siento, Vergib mir, Sono spiacente, and the many other ways to say the words to express that I deeply regret what is about to befall them. The title is a quote from Puck’s epilogue in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Tuesday November 3rd, 1992, Edd thanked Nat for the offer to drive him home from school, but declined it, instead he decided to take the bus home with his friends, since they weren’t going to the gym today anyways. He was also feeling guilty for not spending as much time with his friends as he use to, so felt they need some hang out time together, to reconnect. “It’s cool Edd, I get it, go have fun with your friends,” Nat’s mannerisms and tone seemed normal, his eyes on the other hand seemed crestfallen. 

Edd shrugged it off, surely Nat had a ton of friends to hang out with and would quickly get over the fact that the dork wasn’t free to hang out today. “Well I’ll see you tomorrow,” he waved goodbye and turned to walk away.

“Yeah, see ya,” Nat went to turn to go the opposite direction, toward the student parking lot, but paused, “Oh yeah, happy birthday Edd.” Nat had just remembered that today was Edd’s official birthday, that the party had just been a celebration, because it was easier to get people together on the weekends. Kevin just had to miss school today, he probably should call him when he gets home and remind him to wish Edd a happy birthday.

Edd turned around as he walked, taking a few steps backward to keep moving, “Thanks Nat,” a quick smile at his friend and turns back around to continue toward the buses.

Climbing aboard bus number 21 he quickly sees his friend in their normal seats, following the student in front of him toward the back he sits down next to Ed. “So good of you to join us, your highness,” Eddy said bitterly and turned around to face the front of the bus.

“Sorry Eddy, I’ve just been busy is all.”

“Doing what? Sucking Kevin and Nat’s dicks.”

“Eddy drop it,” Ed said then stood up and leaned over the seat to look at him, “Don’t talk to your friend like that.”

“Geez, sorry,” he huffed as Ed sat back down, “Sure I like the guy, but what about us? I thought we were the three amigos’. But since he’s come along, we’re like second fiddle. You two spend so much time together it’s like your dating.” Ed and Double D look at each other for a second before Eddy spun around in his seat to look at them again, “I just need to know, are we still your friends?”

“Of course you are Eddy,” Edd’s eyes looked apologetic.

Eddy’s eyes softened with his friend’s reassurance, “Cool, that’s all I wanted to hear, so just do me a favor and squeeze us in your schedule more, ok.”

“I will,” after that little exchange the subject was dropped by the three friends, and they turned the conversation to their usual topics of movies, video games and girls, of course mainly coming from the two other Ed’s. Reaching their stop, they walked the few blocks to Edd’s house and spent their free time that evening over there, watching movies in his room until his mother shooed them away so her son could do his homework and have dinner. While he whittled away at his algebra homework, the back of his mind was wondering why he hadn’t heard anything from Kevin since he got home. Surely his boyfriend knew that he was here and could spare a moment to pick up the phone to say “hello, how was your day? Did you miss me? I missed you.” But he reminds himself that they are dating and not joined at the hips, that they didn’t need to talk to each other every single day, did they? Ah but it would be nice to at least get a happy birthday from him, just a quick little recognition that he has grown, learned some new things in the process, and hopefully was a better person for it. 

With his homework done and the clock striking 8:45 he started to get ready for bed, brushing his teeth and changing into his pajama’s in the bathroom. He flips off the light and walks to the banister at the top of the stairs, “Mom.”

“Yes dear?”

“Has anyone called for me?” He knew he had been in the bathroom for only a short amount of time, but it was enough for him to miss a phone call.

“No, no one has called for you,” she walks into the hallway and looks up the stairs, “Expecting a call from your friends?” She of course meant the other Ed’s.

“No, I was just wondering,” he steps away and goes into his room to fall asleep.

Wednesday November 4th, 1992. Edd woke up late this morning, tossing and turning in bed lasts night as he kept waking up, hearing the phone ringing in his dreams, or the sound rocks being tossed at his window. Only to discover that nothing of the sort had really happened, he would climb back into bed to try and fall back to sleep again. Taking a quick shower along with all the other prerequisites for his day, he runs down the stairs and grabs a piece of toast for his breakfast, dashing out the door. Finding Nat already walking back to his car from Kevin’s front door and his other two friends walking down the road toward the bus stop.

Nat spots him and waves, “Hey Edd,’ he returns the wave then looks down the road at his friends. Nat turns his head in the direction he was looking, turning back and calls out, “Hey, tell your friends to jump in and let’s get going.”

Calling out to his friends, he waves them over and then runs toward the car, getting into the passenger seat he asks before the other two arrived, “Where’s Kevin?”

“His mother said he had already left, that his father drove him to school today,” Nat’s face looked worried, Kevin had always caught a ride with him to and from school, they were best friends after all. Edd’s face reflected that same worry now, but tried to not over think it, maybe there was some reason for Kevin leaving so early. Surely he would see him once they got to school and he could straighten this whole thing out with a brief explanation, everything will make sense once he talked to him.

Entering the crowded lunchroom, he surveyed the group of students’, hoping to spot his boyfriends signature red hat in the throng, but was sadly disappointed when it was nowhere to be seen. The four of them took a seat at an empty table, Nat continuing to look for his friend in the crowd, watching the doors in hopes that he would enter at any moment. The bell rings to signal the start of the day before those hopes could be realized and they all scurried toward their classes, parting ways with one another until it was only Nat and Edd left. Nat voiced his concerns first as Edd just let himself bottle up his emotions, “Where the fuck is he?”

“Maybe talking to a teacher about the homework he missed yesterday, or perhaps a guidance counselor about his future after graduation.” He was grasping at straws, but he had to hope for the best, though his gut was saying the same thing that Nat’s eyes were, that his hopes were nothing more than a pipe dream.

But if they were a pipe dream, then why? Sure, high school boys are notorious for getting what they want from girls then ditching them, so he had to wonder why would Kevin be any different. But then there was the day after, he was loving and affectionate as he could be with the little actions he could do in public. Then there was also the make out session in the back of Nat’s car, but each of these actions spoke volumes to his feelings for him. Surely if he was only after the sex he would have ditched him the next day, not the day after that, it just didn’t make sense to him. Then it hits him, maybe his parents found out somehow. “Nat, you’ve got classes with him, right?”

“A couple,” he was already catching on to what Edd was thinking, “Alright I’ll see what I can find out, don’t worry, I’m sure it’s not as bad as we are fearing.” He too was holding out hope that Edd was right about Kevin’s absents this morning, it was school related and nothing more, and that all would be alright once he got to talk to him.

Parting ways, their day began, Nat’s first two classes went by rather slowly as he waited for his third class of the day to begin. There he should be able to corner his friend and get some answers. Walking into the room he sits down in his seat and waited for his red headed friend to take his assigned seat next to him. The tarty bell rings and Kevin just barely made it into the room on time, walking straight to the teacher’s desk, whispering something to the lady. A few moments later she speaks, “Robbie,” and makes beckoning motion with her hand to the boy in the seat right in front of her, “Could you please switch seats with Kevin?”

The boy did as he was asked and took the seat next to Nat, the teal hair boy put his elbows on his desk and ran his hands down his face breathing into the palms of his hands in frustration. He would get him after class then, and force him to come clean to what was going on, surely it can’t be all that bad. A few things were coming to mind that he wanted to say to him, like if he was wanting to call it quits with Edd he was free to do so, no judgement. But at least do the right thing and tell the boy, stop avoiding him because you don’t want to witness him getting hurt by your rejection. Or to just simply say, hey man, what the fuck? 

He suffered through his world history class, while pondering what to do or what to say to his friend. Relieved when the bell finally rang, he slowly got up out of his seat and watched Kevin who also got up but went straight for the teacher’s desk again. Talking to her in a whisper, the woman looking over at Nat a few times as they conversed, Nat now wishing he could read lips. When Kevin looked at him briefly, but didn’t acknowledge him, he accepted that his friend was really avoiding him and left the room to head for his next class, his anger building up in the pit of his stomach. 

This is how the day went, Kevin was apparently adept at avoidance and stealth better than any of them had originally knew. His absents had become so apparent that day that even Eddy had commented upon it at lunch, but in his usual brash way, causing Ed to have to tell him to shut it. With Nat being unable to corner him, and his mother picking him up from school that day, the two of them were still at a loose as to what was really going on. The only thing that they could confirm, with any real confidence, was that he was in fact avoiding all of them, not just Edd, and it was pissing Nat off. At the end of the day, Edd finally put into words what he had speculated early, “Could his parents have found out?”

“Probably,” Nat had been thinking the same thing, but until they talked to him they couldn’t be sure. Even if they did confirm it, if he didn’t want their help, which right now seemed to be the case, they couldn’t force him to take it. “We’ll try again tomorrow, hopefully he is more receptive to us,” Nat was holding out hope that his friend’s intellect would kick in and he would realize that they were worried about him.

Thursday November 5th, 1992. This day was like the last, Kevin was dropped off at school by his father and avoided them like they had a fatal plague, not coming within earshot of their group. Arriving to class right as the bell would ring, and leaving it with only enough time to get to the next, carrying all his books with him in a duffle bag, forgoing the need to go to his locker. Eating lunch by himself in some undisclosed location on campus, getting picked up by his mother from school, Edd noticing that he wouldn’t return home with his mother until two hours after school let out. 

Friday November 6th, 1992. Today was the day that Edd was done, he had quite enough of this childish hide and seek game with the person who only days ago had professed his undying love to him. He finally understood what the term pillow talk really meant, being in that blissful afterglow, a person will promise you the stars. And like a fool you will believed them, for you so desperately want it to be true that they could get them for you. 

He had decided that morning, as he looked at himself in the mirror, that he would give him until the end of the day to come to him of his own accord. Whether it was to end what they had, or to beg for his forgiveness, he did not care which at this moment, he just wanted some closure to this whole tragic affair that has his heart burning with pain. Hour after agonizing hour passed and yet still no sign of his wayward lover, minute after minute as he pondered what in the fuck he was going to say to the man. Would he be a ball of rage and yell everything he was feeling at him, would he be a crying mess begging him to love him, or would he be a stoic shell calmly telling him to get the hell out of his life and never come back.

The possibilities were endless, and each one of the scenarios that went through his head seemed more tragic than the last. Skipping his last period, he stood in the hall close to Kevin’s class, feeling like a stalker, waiting for the final minutes of the day to come to an end. The bell rings and the halls fill with the eager students who were racing to leave their educational prison and make their way home to relax in front of the TV. Nat exits the door that Edd was keeping an eye on, spotting the dork he walks over, “You waiting on him?” Edd nods, “Do you want me to stick around?”

“No, but thank you Nat,” he looks his friend in the eyes and there was sadness there. “I don’t think he is going to hurt me, if that’s what your worried about. Besides I want to give him the decency of privacy and spare him the audience to the travesty of our relationships demise.” 

“Alright,” he gave the boy a side hug as Kevin was coming out of the classroom and stops dead in his tracks. Leaning his head down a little so it was closer to Edd’s ear, “I’ll be waiting in the car, so take your time.”

He walks away without so much as a glance at the classroom door and Edd spots Kevin staring at him. Catching each other’s eyes, Kevin turns and starts to walk away briskly, “Can’t even face me,” Edd says loudly and Kevin stops. The halls were quickly emptying and very few people were around them, none within earshot of them. “Did I really mean so little to you that you can’t even tell me, to my face, that we are over? Or at least what the fuck is going on.” 

Kevin turns his head and sees a fuming Edd standing only a few paces from him, he wanted to speak, he wanted to tell him what has befallen him, but his fears of what his father would do to him were playing havoc in his mind. His mother’s disappointed look, all that the priest was telling him, the way that society viewed them, his doubts and fears on their future, if they even had a future anymore, all driving him to keep his mouth shut. “What, even now you can’t speak to me?”

In a very low whisper Kevin finally speaks, “You wouldn’t understand.”

The fire of Edd’s rage just had a bucket of gasoline thrown upon it, his words dripping with venom, “I can’t hear you, TURN AROUND AND FACE ME.”

Kevin snaps, dropping his bag to the floor he rounds on the boy and pushes him against the locker with his hand, “WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?” 

They stared daggers at each other, Edd was trembling more out of rage then fear, a few curious eyes were watching them and Edd lowered his voice but it was still filled with his anger, “At least have the balls to tell me that we’re over, don’t hide like some coward.”

He spoke through clenched teeth, “Fine, we’re over.”

Edd’s eyes were full of rage induced tears, “Why? Did I do something wrong? Or say something that you didn’t like?”

“I don’t owe you an explanation,” Kevin’s own rage was clouding his judgement, this rage was born from the unfair nature of the world, a rage against the dyeing of their light, their dreams, their hopes, and of his own cowardice. He releases the pressure of his hand against Edd’s chest, the dork pivoted forward slightly, he pushes off harshly as he went to walk away causing Edd to hit the lockers once again.

“I think you owe me that much, at least a reason,” Edd took a step forward to follow him.

Seeing red Kevin turns once again needing to get his point across that Edd needed to drop this, with both his hands he shoves him against the lockers full force, with a loud bang Edd hits the metal, his head bouncing off. Leaning close with rage filled eyes and a hateful voice he speaks, “I don’t owe you shit, NOW STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME.” Cinching his fist he draws back and slams it against the locker right beside Edd’s head with a loud thud that reverberated in Edd’s ear, “Or I’ll make you regret it.” All the remaining eyes in the hall were on them as Kevin walked away picking up his bag as he left while Edd crumpled to the floor. Everyone speculating what must have happened between them, for they all knew that they had become friends recently.

Outside Nat and the other two Ed’s waited in the car for their friend at the main entrance. Nat looked up when he saw Kevin storming out of the school heading toward his mother’s car, his right hand bruised and bloody. Opening the door he gets out and he slams it shut, and both the Ed’s watched as he stormed off in a rush to intercept the red head, “What the fuck did you do,” Nat bellowed as he got close to his “friend”.

Everyone one on the sidewalk turned their heads when they heard the commotion, both the Ed’s caught on to what he said and rush toward the school entrance to find Edd. Kevin didn’t even respond, he dropped his bag and drew back his fist to throw a punch, the only thing going through his head right now was what he had witnessed as he left the classroom. 

Filled with rage his thoughts were clouded and Nat was easily able to block his assault and counter, striking him in the stomach with a quick powerful punch causing Kevin to wince in pain. “He didn’t do anything wrong,” another punch was thrown, dodged and countered with a strike to the jaw. 

Kevin’s mother ran around her car towards them, getting between them both, “Leave him alone,” she looks at Nat fiercely, “You sodomite.” 

Nat looked at her with a pained expression, sure he was hitting her son, but he deserved it for what he had just done to Edd. This woman who he has known for as long as he has known Kevin, was now as much a stranger to him as his best friend was. Dropping his fists, he looks at the two of them, one at a time, as Kevin wiped the blood from his lips, he turns and makes his way into the school. Finding the three of them walking toward the entrance, he takes a close look at Edd, but sees no harm was done to him, just emotional pain. Walking out of the front door Edd could see Kevin and his mother driving off, the jock did not even look in their direction as they passed.

Over the weekend Edd nursed his broken heart, a thing that was surprisingly easier to do then what he had anticipated. In truth, he was only able to dull the pain he felt, to hide and learn to ignore it over time, eventually forgetting its feel all together a few months later. Only being reminded that it was still there whenever he would catch a glimps of the red head in the halls of the school, his arm around Nazz’s shoulder. Or the pictures of prom night that were displayed in the cases by the office later that year, proudly showing Kevin and Nazz winning prom king and queen and their dance together after they were crowned. The two of them getting most popular couple in the year book, Kevin’s speech at graduation when he got valedictorian, Edd only having to attend it because the band had to play Pomp and Circumstance during the ceremony. But once the red head was gone, Edd could finally bury his feelings about this little affair for good, forgetting the whole thing and moving on with his life. 

A/N- Please listen to Fun (featuring Tove Lo) by Coldplay as you scroll down, it expresses a lot of the ending theme I would like to convey.

If we shadows have offended,  
Think but this, and all is mended—  
That you have but slumbered here  
While these visions did appear.  
And this weak and idle theme,  
No more yielding but a dream,  
Gentles, do not reprehend.  
If you pardon, we will mend.  
And, as I am an honest Puck,  
If we have unearnèd luck  
Now to ’scape the serpent’s tongue,  
We will make amends ere long.  
Else the Puck a liar call.  
So good night unto you all.  
Give me your hands if we be friends,  
And Robin shall restore amends.  
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 5, Scene 1

Edd reached over and hit the silence button on his alarm that was playing a random song from his playlist, stopping the music after the last verse. The door to his room opens, “Good morning sleepy head,” Nat looks over at him and smiles. Edd picks up his phone and puts his glasses on as he sits up in bed, looking at the date, it was 9:10am on Sunday November 6th, 2016. He groans, and flops down on the bed again, recalling the recurring dreams he has been having for the past twenty-nine days. “Are you excited? You’re going to see your son today,” Nat asked as he opened the closet door 

“Ecstatic,” he replied, truthfully he was more nerves then excited, what was he going to say to the man that was his son, after fifteen years of silence between them. Looking up at Nat, he sees the same handsome man he met so many years ago standing there. A few things have changed of course, now that Nat was in his forty-first year of life, he had stopped dying his hair back when he was twenty-six and let his natural blonde color come back into being. His hair was now also thinning at the front, but his golden-brown eyes were still as warm and kind as they have ever been, perfectly handsome, “Remind me why you still have a key.”

“Because you love me,” Nat replied as he pulled a few items of clothing out of Edd’s closet, he needed to be presentable for his lunch date with his son and the boy’s fiancé.

“Yes, now I remember,” he shimmies out of the bed and heads for the bathroom that was adjoined to the bedroom, taking the clothes handed to him as he passed. Closing the door behind him he hangs them upon the hook on the back of the door and drops his underwear, throwing them in the laundry basket and hoping into the shower. 

The door opens as he reaches up for the curtain to pull it to, Nat walking in placing underwear and socks upon the counter, “You’re really going to be surprised how much your son looks like you.” Edd cocks a brow and slides the curtain into place, “And that man of his, you will never guess who he is.”

“Who is he Nat?” 

Nat brings his head around the curtain as Edd bent over to start the shower, getting a full view of that ass he has always adored. Looking behind him as he stands, because he knows Nat so well, he takes the shower head off its mount and sprays him with it playfully, Nat dodges it while laughing. “Well you’re just going to have to figure it out yourself, now.”

Placing the shower head back, he looks around the curtain this time, hiding himself from view, “Come on Nat, you’ve mentioned it, now I’m dying to know.” Leaning in Nat whispers it into his ear and Edd’s eyes went wide as he continued to explain, “WHAT THE FUCK.”

 

The End?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you have enjoyed this fic.


End file.
